Falling From Grace
by Batbabe1
Summary: Kimberly gets a welcome vistor while training in florida, but his arrival brings mixed emotions and painful decisions
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. Saban did, and Disney does. If I did, the original rangers would still be around.  
  
A/N: This is my first PR fic, so I'm not sure what to think of this. But, hopefully, it's not as bad as I fear. Please R/R!  
  
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Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
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Jason was sure he had never seen such a beautiful sight in his life.  
  
There she stood. The girl of his dreams, the one he knew he could never have. Kimberly Ann Hart. She was concentrating on her balance beam routine, not noticing his presence from across the large gymnasium full of training gymnasts. Her face was stern and focused, he could tell even with the distance between them.  
  
It had only been a couple of weeks since she had moved to Florida, so none of the gang had made it down to visit yet. Not even Tommy. Jason and Kim had stayed in close contact since he left Angel Grove, and he hadn't really been surprised to learn of her decision to give up her powers and move on to pursue her dream. It didn't take him long to schedule a surprise visit for one of his closest friends.  
  
Though he thought of her as more than a friend, he knew that he could never and would never act on those feelings. Tommy was his best friend, practically his brother, and he would never betray him like that. He respected the White Ranger too much to ever do something so despicable. So he would continue to play the role of big brother to the original Pink Ranger, he would be nothing more than a close friend.  
  
Even with that less than pleasant thought clouding his mind, he couldn't help but smile widely at the mere sight of her. She was the definition of beauty and grace, an angel fallen from heaven. 'Wow, Jase. You're getting pretty corny here....' he thought with a chuckle. He slowly started making his way over to his friend, taking his time to enjoy the view.  
  
He held off once he got closer to her so that he wouldn't interrupt her concentration. The last thing he wanted was for her to be hurt again. It had almost killed him when he found out about her accident and had not been able to make it home from Switzerland to see her. But he had known that Tommy was there and wouldn't let anything happen to her, as much as it killed him to admit it.  
  
Jason had first met Kimberly when they were both children. Their mothers had been friends, so they had been obligated to play with each other many times. She had always been the lighthearted, cheerful one while he had been the quiet, sturdy presence that protected her. They grew very close and remained that way, even after befriending Zack, Billy, and Trini. Kim and Jason always held a special bond that couldn't be replicated with any of their friends, no matter how close they were.  
  
They had started to drift somewhat in junior high, with him involved heavily in karate and her in cheerleading and the like. At the time, he noticed that the Kimberly he had known all his life was rarely seen anymore. She seemed more concerned with her hair and boys than anything else, even gymnastics. He didn't like the changes in her, but held onto their friendship in the hopes that the caring person he knew would return. Once they became rangers, Kim gradually matured and became more like herself again. She was no longer obsessed with the mall or her appearance because she knew that there were more important things in life. Being a power ranger brought out the best in her, and in him as well. It wasn't hard to discover that his feelings for Kim had gradually evolved from simply friendship to something much deeper.  
  
Just when he was starting to believe he had a chance with her, the mysterious Green Ranger appeared and captured Kimberly's heart. At first, Jason had been angry and hurt that someone could just show up out of the blue and entranced her like that, but he realized that her happiness meant more to him than his own. So he stepped back and watched as the girl that he had perhaps always loved found happiness with someone else. What made it all the more painful was the fact that Jason honestly like Tommy and eventually came to think of him as a sort of brother. With each passing week, he lost hope that he would ever get a chance to be with Kim since she and Tommy's feelings seemed to deepen. When he left for the peace conference, he thought that he could escape the feelings he had for the young woman but they stuck with him as if God enjoyed making him suffer in silence.  
  
He was brought out of his reverie by the sound of her landing on the mat, then screaming out his name as she noticed him standing such a short distance away from her. He couldn't help but grin as she ran up to him and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.  
  
"Jase! What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?? How long are you staying?" she rambled, barely containing her surprise and excitement. It was more than obvious that the young woman was thrilled to see him.  
  
"Well, I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by...." he laughed at the disbelieving look on her face and pulled her in for another hug. "I had some free time from the conference and thought I'd come and see how you were adjusting to life down here." He answered honesty.  
  
"So how long are you staying??" She raised her head from his chest to look up at his face, eyes wide and smile bright.  
  
He couldn't help the ray of hope that took hold inside him at the sight of her excitement and happiness over his presence. When he looked into her eyes like this, all else was forgotten (including a certain long- haired young man in California) and he could almost believe that she felt the same way.  
  
He wasn't about to go into details about the duration of his stay, or the circumstances surrounding them, so he simply answered, "I'm here for as long as you need me. I'm here to make you happy." She would never know just how much he meant that, just how deeply he felt for her.  
  
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Ok, tell me what you think by leaving a review! ;) 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer still applies.....  
  
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A/N: Thank you all for the great reviews! I'm actually getting really into this story. I've got so many plans for it in my head, but my fingers can't type fast enough! *sigh* Ain't that always the way?  
  
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Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
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Kim was ecstatic to see a familiar face.  
  
She had been in Florida for weeks now and had yet to receive a visit from anyone from back home. Of course, she had talked to all of them on the phone, but it just wasn't the same. Truth be told, Kim was lonely. She hadn't really made any friends with the other gymnasts, which surprised her since she usually made friends quite easily. She just didn't seem to be able to connect with the other girls; it made her realize just how much she had given up in Angel Grove.  
  
For the hundredth time, her thoughts drifted to Tommy. They talked on the phone every other night. He would fill her in on what was going on back home and tell her about the latest monster they had fought. Apparently Katherine was doing an excellent job as the new Pink Ranger, and Kimberly couldn't have been happier for her. Of course, it was hard to think about Kat replacing her, but she didn't waste time thinking about it too much seeing as how she couldn't do anything to change it now. Though it did bother her that Tommy seemed to talk about her more and more. Obviously they had bonded since Kim went away.  
  
But the one constant in her life was Jason. Even after he left for the conference, their relationship remained as strong as before. They talked constantly and exchanged letters, never losing contact. When she began training, he was still the one that was always there for her. He was always just a phone call away. And now he was right in front of her and she couldn't be happier to see him.  
  
While he didn't really explain how he had been able to leave the peace conference like this, it didn't really matter to Kim as long as he was there. It meant so much to her to know that he cared about her enough to put his own life on hold to come visit. Not that she had ever doubted how much he cared, she cared for him immensely too.  
  
She couldn't help but stare at him from across the table. She had taken him to one of her favorite places to eat so that they could catch up a little and talk. Kim couldn't help but notice how he had changed. He had always been a handsome young man, but he looked more....mature now. He wasn't a teenager anymore, he was a man. His features had become slightly more chiseled and pronounced. There wasn't a bit of chubbiness left from childhood. Plus he had cut his hair, now it was shorter and more spiky. It was a good look for him she had to admit.  
  
Kim just couldn't stop smiling.  
  
"I didn't think you'd be this happy to see me." he stated matter-of- factly with a sly smile. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are, I just didn't expect you to be this thrilled." He chuckled as she blushed slightly and looked down at her meal. When she looked back up, she herself was grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Of course I'm thrilled! It's not everyday that my best friend flies all the way across an ocean just to come and see me." Her voice was slightly mocking, as if what she said was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
He was quietly stunned that she had called him her best friend. Though he realized that it shouldn't really surprise him, considering he was her oldest friend and they had maintained the level of their relationship even after both had left Angel Grove.  
  
"I can't wait to show you around town, there's so much to see! Do you have someplace to stay?" She was once again changing topics at the drop of a hat, but it didn't really bother him. Her bubbly mood was infectious and excited him to no end.  
  
"I'm checked into a hotel across town. It's not too bad, considering how cheep it is." He chuckled again. "And I'd love for you to show me around. Just don't take me anywhere too weird." His smile was as bright as she remembered. Jason wasn't known for showing his emotions, but when he did they were genuine and sincere. Just like him. Kim was one of the few people that he opened up completely with and for that, she would always be grateful.  
  
"Talked to Tommy lately?" She took a bite of her salad as she brought up their mutual friend who was more than a friend.  
  
She didn't notice his mood sour slightly at the mention of her long- distance boyfriend, his best friend, and he didn't let any resentment slip into his voice when he answered.  
  
"I talked to him a couple of days ago, but I didn't tell him about my plans to visit you. You know Tommy, he just can't keep secrets like this one." He brightened slightly as he thought about the time that Kim had been planning a surprise birthday party for Jason and Tommy had accidently spilled the beans while they had been working out the day before. It amazed him that his friend could keep such a huge secret as being a ranger, but couldn't go two days without letting it slip about a simple party. But that was Tommy....  
  
"It's probably good that you didn't, otherwise he would have called me and told me as soon as you two hung up." Her laughter was bright and melodious to his ears and he couldn't help but beam.  
  
He sobered significantly, "I really missed you, Pinky." She laughed softly at his nickname for her. He had called her that ever since they were kids, even before they became rangers.  
  
"I really missed you too, Jase." She reached over and placed her hand over his, looking deep into his eyes. She thought it strange that, no matter what, Tommy was her white ranger, but Jason would always be her white knight.  
  
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Please leave a review and tell me what you think of it so far! ;) 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer still applies....  
  
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A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I went on spring break and didn't have access to a working computer for the last week and a half. But I promise the next update will come much sooner. ;)  
  
Please R/R!  
  
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Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
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It was at night when his doubts came to haunt him.  
  
Sometimes Tommy hated being the leader of the team. And at those times, he resented the burdens of responsibility and power that it entailed. He was completely aware that the lives of millions, including his team mates, depended on him. If he made just one mistake, no matter how small, it could mean the end of the world. Literally.  
  
He wondered how Jason seemed to handle the weight so well when he was leader.  
  
Then he had the dreams. Dreams of a certain green ranger that destroyed everything and everyone he touched. A ranger that was slowly drained of all that he was by a gleeful destroyer of worlds. A ranger who was powerless to decide his own fate.  
  
Sometimes he would stay awake for hours, just to fight off the dreams.  
  
The days were always better, though the doubts and fears were always with him in the back of his mind. The other rangers were a big help, though they knew nothing of his inner turmoil. Sometimes he felt the need to confide in one of them, just to get his feelings out, but he never did. He couldn't burden any of them with the knowledge that their leader was terrified of messing up. He almost told Katherine once, but stopped himself. She would understand, he knew, but he didn't want her to think of him as weak. He was somewhat surprised to realize how much he had come to think of her, her opinion really mattered to him.  
  
Tommy shook his head slightly at that. It seemed that the pink ranger, no matter who she was, would always be closest to the leader. It seemed fitting.  
  
His thoughts once again went to the former pink ranger. It was times like this that Kim's absence was really felt. He could talk to her about his feelings now that she was no longer on the team. Tommy wanted to jump out of bed right then and call her, but he knew that she would be asleep, what with the time difference. He'd have to call her tomorrow and see how she was doing. Maybe then he could get some of his feelings out in the open. He smiled as her beautiful face lingered in his mind.  
  
Then he thought about calling up Jason. Like his girlfriend, the former red ranger was never far from his mind. He and Jase had bonded so much over the relatively short time they knew each other, but it was easy to think that they truly were brothers. Jason was probably the person he respected and trusted most in this world, even more than his parents. Tommy knew that he could tell Jase anything and the former leader would never look down on him. He didn't know what he'd do if his relationship with Jase ever ended.  
  
Of course, he could probably call his best friend up since it was already morning in Switzerland. Tommy brightened at the thought of hearing his bro's voice again, seeing as how they hadn't spoken in a couple of weeks. He got out of bed and went downstairs to use the phone in the kitchen so that he wouldn't wake his parents. He knew they'd kill him for placing an international call without telling them first.  
  
As he dialed the long number, memories of the former red ranger floated into his mind. Besides Kim, Jason was the only one Tommy knew would always be there for him no matter what. His smile became a full grin the more he thought about it.  
  
After what seemed like forever, a woman's voice finally answered the phone.  
  
"Teen Summit housing. How may I direct your call?"  
  
"Uh, hi. Can you put me through to Jason Scott's room?"  
  
There was a long pause as the operator looked up the room number. She came back with "Is Mr. Scott one of the delegates?"  
  
Tommy was more than a little confused, he'd never been asked this before when he called. "Yeah, he's one of the delegates from the United States."  
Another long pause followed, filling Tommy with an odd feeling of trepidation. The operator sounded rueful when she finally answered.  
  
"I'm sorry, but Mr. Scott has resigned from the summit." 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer still applies folks......  
  
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A/N: Alrighty.....obviously the Tommy chapter wasn't as good as I thought it was since I only got one review. Hmm.....interesting. The funny thing is, I had no intention of putting Tommy in the story at all, other than when he was thought of or talked about, but when I sat down to write the last chapter *poof* there he was! I realized that it was important to show that Tommy's sort of the innocent one here, considering his girlfriend and best friend will be getting together (hopefully!). And I also wanted to add some mystery to why exactly Jason left the peace conference. If anyone guesses why, and you're right, I just might write a fic of your choice! So guess away! ;)  
  
Wow that's long.....I bet maybe two people read the whole thing. *shrugs* Anyway, please R/R and enjoy!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
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Chapter 4  
  
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When Jason woke up, he felt more at peace than he had in a long time.  
  
Just being around Kim again made him feel better than he had in months. She was the light at the end of his tunnel. He hadn't realized just how big a hole not being in her company had left in his life. It made him miss the old days even more than before.  
  
As he got out of bed, he couldn't help but smile wide at just how happy he was. He and Kim had spent the entire evening together as she showed him around the relatively small town while they caught up on old times.  
  
She had to train today, but they had made plans to go have dinner tonight. He wasn't exactly sure what he would do in the meantime and, to Jason, the hours couldn't pass quickly enough. He supposed he could call Zack and Trini and let them know that he had a safe trip and had met up with Kim, but he didn't want to bug them since they were so busy anymore.  
  
He finally decided to take in some of the sights during the daytime. Kim had told him that there was a fairly nice park nearby, and he thought he might go take a look. The former red ranger was glad to be in a warm climate again after being in Switzerland for a year. He loved to ski, but there was only so much cold weather he could take. The fresh air would do him good.  
  
The town that Coach Schmidt had placed his facility was certainly quaint. It was small, quiet, and somewhat old fashioned. It wasn't all that different from Angel Grove, minus the size and lack of skyscrapers. But the major difference was, of course, the absence of monsters constantly attacking and multi-colored spandex wearing superheros fighting them off.  
  
When Jason reached the park, he walked around until he came to a nice clear area. He sat down on the green grass, closed his eyes, and soaked in the sun.  
  
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Kimberly thought the day would never end.  
  
She was so excited about going out with Jason again that night that practice just seemed to drag along. Usually she enjoy training quite a bit. It cleared her head and she didn't think about her problems or home or anything, she just focused on gymnastics. She supposed it was kinda like meditation.  
  
Today was an exception. She just kept thinking about the brunette with the dark gaze that exuded strength. Until he had suddenly showed up at her practice the day before and they had spent time together, she hadn't realized just how much she had missed him. She didn't realize that there had been a void in her life that only he could fill. They had easily slipped back into the relationship they had before he left for the peace conference, like no time had passed.  
  
With her mind preoccupied on her close friend, she had difficulty performing during practice. She only hoped that Coach Schmidt hadn't noticed. But she doubted that he hadn't, seeing as how everytime she dared look over at him he had a look of disappointment and slight disgust on his face.  
/Only a couple more hours/ she noted silently. /Just try to get through this, then you can go out with Jase and relax./  
  
Time always seemed to pass slower when she was doing one thing when she'd rather be doing something else.....  
  
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Once practice ended, Kim had practically ran back to her apartment to take a shower and get ready for her evening. She wanted to look her best for Jason, though she knew he could care less what she wore as long as they were together.  
  
She stopped at that. /Together..../  
  
The petite young woman couldn't help but flash back to her second year of junior high. That was the year that she had realized that she had stronger feelings for Jason than just friendship. She had been to scared of rejection to admit her feelings to him, though she knew that he would never intentionally hurt her. There had been times that she had dreamed of what it would be like to be with him.  
  
Knowing that he didn't feel the same way, she put her feelings aside and focused on anything but him. He had seemed to disapprove of her more self-involved ways, but she continued in an effort to forget about her feelings for him. It had worked, to a degree, and then they became Power Rangers and Tommy came to town. She had been instantly drawn to Tommy, and found, in him, a happiness that she had never experienced before. She still had feelings for her best friend, but they weren't as all-consuming as they once were.  
  
Then Jason had left for the peace conference. They had never lost touch, but it was different. She couldn't stand the thought that their relationship might not be able to survive the distance between them. Her fears had been unfounded. That had been proved to her when she found him standing in the gym yesterday.  
  
Unfortunately, her relationship with Tommy wasn't as secure as her relationship with Jason. The distance between the couple, along with the duties that were now his alone, put a strain on them. There were weeks were they barely had time to talk at all. There was always a monster attacking, or schoolwork, or she was training or exhausted. There was always some reason that forced them apart.  
  
And then there was Kat. Kimberly could feel that her replacement was becoming quite close with her boyfriend. It wasn't that she didn't trust either of them, she did, but she knew Katherine had feelings for Tommy and it seemed that he was starting to reciprocate. Though she knew that they would never act on those feelings, she couldn't help but be uneasy about the whole thing. She had actually started to think that maybe it would be for the best if she let him go. After all, she couldn't be there for him like before and who knew when they would have a chance to see each other again.  
  
But she wouldn't think about that tonight. She'd be happy because she was with her best friend again.  
  
Kimberly took one last look in the mirror before she smiled and headed out the door to pick up Jason. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Don't own Power Rangers. Not making money off this. The only thing I'm receiving is the immense pleasure of producing this.  
  
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A/N: I just want to thank all my reviewers. You have no idea how much it brightens my day to come home and read what people have wrote about my work. Even if it's bad, I'm still glad that you've taken the time to write and let me know what you think. Please continue to do so. ;)  
  
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Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
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Chapter 5  
  
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Just the sight of her took his breath away.  
  
When Kimberly had arrived at his hotel room door, he couldn't help but stare at her in appreciation. She was wearing a simple light pink tank top with a khaki skirt and matching pink sandles and her hair was down, and she looked beautiful. Jason was glad that she had stopped wearing a lot of the make-up that she had started to wear when they began high school, it just took away from her natural beauty. And it was all he could do to not stand there gazing at her.  
  
He mentally shook himself and invited her in. She looked around the small room a moment before turning back to him and blurting, "Why don't you just stay with me?"  
  
His eyes went wide in surprise at the question. He wasn't sure how to respond and was unnerved at the blush he could feel spreading across his face. The more time he spent alone with Kim, the greater the loss of his emotional control. As tempting as it was to stay in the same apartment with the girl he had loved all of his life, he certainly didn't want to risk losing control and doing something he would regret. He couldn't do that to her or to Tommy.  
  
She seemed embarrassed by either her question or his silence, Jason wasn't sure which, and she looked away, blushing slightly. "I just mean that you shouldn't have to pay for a hotel when I've got an apartment with a comfy couch." She looked back at him with trepidation in her eyes. "That is, if you want to....I'll understand if you want to stay here. I know how much you value your independence and privacy."  
  
As true as that was, he valued her happiness more. He knew how lonely she was here, and that his presence meant a lot to her. And if it would make her happy if he stayed with her, he would do it...even if it caused him pain. Being so close to her and yet still far from being with her was almost more than he could bear. But he had done it before, and he would do it again. For her.  
  
"Well, now that you mention it, it would probably be cheaper that way. Can't afford this place forever." He grinned, trying to help her forget her embarrassment and put her at ease. "I just hope you'll be able to stand putting up with me all the time."  
  
She seemed relieved at his good humor and beamed at him. "Great! Do you want to check out now or go have dinner first?"  
  
The rumbling of his stomach answered for him.  
  
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Dinner had been great. They had gone to a small side café downtown that had a wide variety of culinary choices. Kim had talked about training and her excitement about going to the Pan Globals and Jason had spoken a little about his experience at the peace conference. He didn't seem too eager to discuss it, though. Then they had talked about some of the stranger occurrences during their ranger days. Tommy wasn't mentioned once.  
  
They had walked around a little after dinner before heading back to his hotel to check out. After they had packed up his things, they went down to the lobby to pay his bill. Kimberly waited on the other side of the lobby as Jason checked out at the desk. An elderly couple on the small couch across from her caught her attention as they spoke quietly to each other. They looked deeply into each others eyes and it was as if they were completely alone in the world. Kim couldn't help but stare and wonder if she and the man she loved would be like that one day.  
  
Eventually, Jason came over and put his hand on her shoulder to let her know he was finished. She was surprised by the spark of electricity that she felt when he had touched her bare skin.  
  
She blushed slightly as she stood and began to leave with her companion. As she passed through the doorway and into the night air, she took one last look over her shoulder at the old couple. They hadn't even noticed she was gone.  
  
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When they reached her apartment, Kim showed him around quickly and got some blankets for him to sleep with. She then made a hasty exit to her room saying she was exhausted and needed the sleep. He hadn't interfered, simply looked at her as though he was puzzled, which he was.  
  
He hadn't questioned her uncharacteristic silence, though it troubled him. Jason assumed that she was regretting inviting him to stay at her place, for one reason or another, and felt guilty about it. He never wanted to cause her pain, but he had apparently inadvertently done so. But here he was, neither of them could change that now. So he sat on the couch and turned on the tv since he wasn't ready to go to sleep yet.  
  
It was then that he noticed the small shelf above the tv set. There were several framed pictures on it and he got up to take a closer look. He recognized most of the pictures as soon as he got near them, though there were a few he hadn't seen. There was the one of the original team, all six of them, sitting on the steps of Angel Grove High. He smiled sadly as he picked it up, he deeply missed the time they had together. It was the happiest time of his life.  
  
He set it back down and looked at the one beside it. It was a picture of Kim, Aisha, and a blonde that Jason didn't recognize. /That must be Kat./ He realized. She was a pretty young woman with bright blue eyes and a smile to match. He could understand why Tommy would be attracted to her, even if the white ranger didn't realize he was. Jason could tell by looking at her that she would be an excellent ranger.  
  
Next to that was a picture of Tommy by himself. As soon as he looked at it, Jason felt a pang of guilt run through him. Here he was, in his best friend's girlfriend's apartment, lusting after her. Well, perhaps lust wasn't the right word, but it was close.  
  
He quickly looked to the next picture, one of the new power team (before Kat, of course). They were beside the lake on a bright day. His gaze soon fell to his replacement. He held nothing against Rocky and knew he was a fine choice for a successor. When his powers had been transferred to the young man, Jason knew that Rocky would do him proud and he hadn't been disappointed.  
  
The next frame contained a picture of her family, before her parents had divorced. The split had been rough on her, and Jason remembered the many times that she would come over to his house in the middle of the night to talk. He did his best to help her work through it, and was there whenever she needed him, though he wished that he could have done more.  
  
He was surprised when he looked at the last picture on the shelf. It was one of her and him shortly after they had become rangers. He had his arm over her shoulders and she had hers around his waist. They were both smiling from ear to ear, happy to be in each other's company. He wondered what made her think to display this when she had left pictures of her with some of the others behind.  
  
He couldn't help but hope that maybe he was as special to her as she was to him.  
  
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Kimberly had trouble getting to sleep, her thoughts were all jumbled.  
  
When she finally had, she had dreamt of being home in Angel Grove. She stood at the edge of the lake, looking out at the water. She felt a strong set of arms encompass her as her companion laid his chin on her shoulder. They stood there for the longest time, nothing else existed but them and she had never felt happier in her life.  
  
She felt as though, with him, she were finally complete. He was the part of her that she had lacked, and she knew she could never let him go. The feeling of his breath on her neck convinced her of that.  
  
She slowly turned in his arms to face him, to look into the eyes of the man that she loved.  
  
It was Jason's eyes that greeted her.  
  
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A/N: I'm really sorry if this is incredibly sappy. I'll try to do better from now on.... 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Disney now owns Power Rangers, though I used to be the proud owner of my own pink ranger costume. Man, those were good times.....  
  
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Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
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Chapter 6  
  
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Over the next week, Kim and Jason slipped into an easy routine together.  
  
Every morning he would wake up and she would have already left for practice. He would fix breakfast and then go for a run in the park. After that, he would spend some time in his little clearing meditating and practicing his kata. He'd then go to the gym were Kim trained so that they could have lunch together. She'd tell him about her frustrations with not being able to perform one move or another perfect and he'd tell her that she didn't have to worry about being perfect as long as she did her best. She would then throw her food at him.  
  
After she left to train some more, he would take the long way back to her apartment to see some of the sites. He'd spend the rest of the day doing some odd jobs for Kim like going to the grocery store or doing the dishes, anything to help her out. She'd come home later that afternoon tired but still thrilled to see him. They'd either go out for dinner or see a movie, but most of the time they just stayed home and watched tv together on her couch. It was a relaxing and enjoyable time for both of them.  
  
Kimberly had only talked to Tommy once during this time, and she hadn't mentioned Jason's presence to him. The former red ranger didn't want anyone to know he was there, though he hadn't told Kim why and she hadn't asked.  
  
Truth be told, she wasn't eager to tell her boyfriend that another man was staying at her apartment with her. It wasn't that she thought he would be angry, she knew he wouldn't have a problem with it because he trusted them both implicitly and the thought of them getting together would never cross his mind. And that was exactly the problem.  
  
His trust and faith in the two of them was so strong, it would only hurt him more if something were to happen between the man he saw as his brother and the woman he loved. She couldn't bear the thought of hurting him like that.  
  
The fact that she was even thinking about the possibility of hurting Tommy bothered her. She knew that if she was as devoted to him as he was to her, there would never be a possibility at all. The truth was, after her dream, Kim began to look at her best friend in a new way. She started thinking about what it might be like if the two of them became a couple, what their life would be like. She was more than a little surprised to find that she welcomed the thought of being with Jason as more than just a friend.  
  
Kimberly had always loved Jason. He was her oldest and closest friend, but he had also always been more than that. He was her rock, the person who would always be there to catch her when she fell. The former pink ranger couldn't remember a time that she didn't have feelings for Jason that went beyond friendship. Deep down, she knew that she loved him and would always love him. It wasn't that she didn't love Tommy, she did, but at some point that love had changed. It wasn't the love shared by two people in love, it was the love shared between friends.  
  
The realization that she wasn't in love with Tommy anymore startled her. In a way, she had known for a long time, but had only recognized this truth when she had seen Jason again. Of course, she didn't know how Jason felt about her, but she had this feeling that she was more than just a friend to him as well. She didn't know how she knew this, whether it was the look in his eyes when he looked at her or the sadness that seemed to come over him whenever she mentioned the white ranger. Maybe it was just wishful thinking that led her to believe that he might have feelings for her, but she found herself hoping that wasn't the case.  
  
Kim knew that she'd have to eventually make a decision about her future, but she wasn't sure that she could. No matter what she did, she would be hurting someone. If she left Tommy for Jason, Tommy would be betrayed by the two people he cared about most and she didn't think he would ever be able to get over that. If she stayed with Tommy, she would be hurting herself. She would be pretending that she felt something that she no longer did and she didn't know if she could live like that.  
  
The guilt seemed to be the only thing stopping her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After yet another practice session consumed with concentration on her personal life, Kim came home with one question on her mind.  
  
"How long are you going to stay here?" She asked almost as soon as she came in the door to her apartment.  
  
Jason looked up at her from his place on the couch, startled. "What do you mean?" He replied slowly, unsure where this was headed.  
  
Kim took a deep breath. "I mean, you've been here a week and haven't even mentioned when you're going back to the peace conference. What's going on?" She sat down on the coffee table before him, her hands grasped tightly together in her lap.  
  
It was his turn to take a deep breath as he thought about what he was going to say. "My first day here, I told you that I would stay as long as you needed me. That hasn't changed." He paused for a moment, deciding to tell her the truth. "I left the conference, permanently. I wasn't happy there anymore. I just knew I needed to come see you, so here I am. And I'll stay as long as you'll have me here. To be honest, I don't know where else to go." He finished quietly.  
  
Kim looked down at her hands, hardly believing what she was hearing. "Why can't you go home to Angel Grove. We've got friends there, and you're family's there too. What's wrong with that?"  
  
"You mean go back to a place that doesn't need me anymore." He sounded bitter as he answered and stood. He walked over to the window and looked out into the fading daylight. "It would just be too hard to go back and see what I once was. To know that they don't need me anymore. It was hard enough when Zordon made Tommy the leader over me. It was like he didn't have faith in me anymore. I don't know if I could take going back and seeing someone else in my uniform."  
  
Kim knew exactly what he meant. It was hard enough to think of someone taking your place, becoming what you once were, but it would be even harder to witness it first hand.  
  
"Besides," he went on, turning back to look her in the eyes, "there's no where else I would rather be."  
  
She looked back at him, knowing he was being honest and that she needed to be with him, too. Slowly she stood and, never breaking eye contact with him, walked over to where he stood, putting her arms around him in an embrace. He pulled her tightly to him, like he never wanted to let go. She spoke quietly into his chest, "There's no where else I'd rather be either."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Ok, I'm really sorry for this chapter. It's pure crap. *sigh* I'm almost afraid to ask you guys to review, because I'm afraid of what you'll say. Oh well, go ahead I can take it. I'll try to make the next chapter better, I promise. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer still applies.....  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I guess it wasn't the pure crap I thought it was. Thank goodness....  
  
I've decided to completely ignore the whole "Earth going back in time, rangers as kids" thing. It's just a little too complicated to put into this story and be believable (well, for power rangers, that is). I'm not saying it didn't happen, I'm just not going to acknowledge it. Besides, I'm not certain that Jason or Kim would remember it anyway.  
  
R/R!  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 7  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next few weeks passed by rather quickly for the pair.  
  
Jason went out and got a job at the local YMCA as a Tai Chi instructor so that he could not only help Kim out with the bills, but to also give his life a little direction. In the year since he had left Angel Grove, he realized just how much he enjoyed teaching and how much he missed it. It felt good to get back to doing something that gave him immense pleasure and fulfillment.  
  
Kimberly had once again become more focused with her training. Her romantic dilemma was still on her mind, but it didn't bother her as much. She and Tommy barely talked anymore since he had a crisis back home that forced the rangers to gain new powers. Kim still couldn't believe that her powers were gone forever. She and Jason had stayed up late the night they found out and talked about it. Both were stunned and forced to face they fact that the rangers they had been were gone forever. Not that either had ever expected to go back home and reclaim their power, but now there was no way that they could.  
  
She understood why Tommy didn't have the time to talk to her as often anymore. It must have been quite a strain on him as leader, losing the powers and leading the others on a quest to find an alternate source of power. She couldn't imagine how hard that must have been on him.  
  
To be honest, she was almost glad that he was facing so many distractions. She still had not yet decided how to deal with her feelings, and the less she talked to him, the less she had to be confronted with her guilt over the situation. Still, she knew she would have to do something eventually, but she was glad she didn't have to immediately. She'd feel even worse if she broke up with Tommy right when he was facing the most difficult thing in his life. There's only so much change a person can take.  
  
But her and Jason's relationship remained as strong as before, and grew even more so. They were gradually becoming closer then ever and, as much as it frightened both of them, it thrilled them as well. Neither dared take their relationship to the next level for neither wanted to hurt their mutual friend, but it was becoming clear that eventually someone would be hurt.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They had spent the last couple of hours simply lounging on the couch watching tv one evening when Jason summoned the courage to talk about his feelings. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how much he wanted to hold her and never let her go. And he wanted to tell her how much he was afraid of losing her friendship by admitting his feelings and how afraid he was of hurting the man who had become his brother. He wanted to share everything with her, to be honest.  
  
As she rose from the couch to go to bed, he decided it was now or never.  
  
"Kim, wait. I think we need to talk." She looked back at him, a questioning look in her eyes. She did as he asked and sat back on the couch, though farther from him than she had a moment ago. She could tell by his tone that it was something serious, and most likely something she wouldn't like. So she remained quiet so that he could speak when he was ready.  
  
He got up and crossed the room before turning back to her. He looked prepared to speak until he looked at her, then he seemed to become uncertain again. He began to pace the room slowly as he tried to think of the best way to explain himself. Through all this, Kim remained in her place on the couch, waiting patiently for him to begin.  
  
Finally, he came to a stop directly in front of her. He took a deep breath before he dove right into it.  
  
"Kim, you and I have been really close friends for years. And I know this might sound weird or out of the blue, but you've been more to me than just a close friend. You've always been someone I could count on, someone I could turn to if I needed someone." He paused, trying to gage what her reaction was. She seemed unfazed, almost as if she thought this was a joke. "What I'm trying to say is, I care about you. I like you. I've always liked you, but I've always been afraid to tell you so. First because I thought you'd reject me, and then because of you and Tommy. I never wanted to hurt either of you.  
  
"But after spending these weeks together, I've realized that it's better to let you know how I feel. I can't hide it anymore. Being here, with you, has made me happier than I've been in my entire life." She was looking down at her lap now, face unreadable. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love you. I always have." He paused again, trying to let her take it all in.  
  
"I'll leave if you want me to, and I understand that you don't feel the same way. I just thought you should know." He finished quietly, unable to look at her anymore. He didn't want to see the rejection that he was sure he would find if he looked into her eyes.  
  
It was many moments before either spoke. Neither looked at each other, too afraid to see what the other was experiencing.  
  
A part of Kimberly wanted to throw herself at Jason, have him take her in his arms and love her. Another part of her wanted to run away from the turbulent emotions she was experiencing. One question kept popping up in her mind.  
  
"What about Tommy?"  
  
If the room hadn't been completely silent, Jason doubted he could have heard her whisper her question. It was a question that he had asked himself many times over the past couple of weeks, and he was still no where close to a solution. So he answered as honestly as he could.  
  
"I don't know...."  
  
He finally looked back to her, seeing her nod silently at his response and rise from the couch. She didn't say a word as she made her way down the hall to her bedroom, never once looking at him. He heard the door shut quietly behind her as he was left alone with his thoughts.  
  
He hated himself when he heard her start crying.....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: I'm seriously thinking of writing a supplemental one-shot type of thing for this. You wouldn't need to read that to understand this and vice- versa, but it'd just be a nice complement. It would focus on Zack and Trini at the peace conference, just after Jason left. Let me know if you think that would be cool! ;) 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer still applies.....  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 8  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Jason woke up the next morning, Kim was already gone.  
  
He felt incredibly guilty over what happened the previous night, he had never intended to hurt her in anyway. But it seemed that no matter what he did in this situation, he couldn't win. Maybe he just should have kept his mouth shut and continued to suffer in silence.  
  
But he knew that wouldn't have worked either. There was no way that he could continue to live with Kim and not at least be honest with her. He owed her that.  
  
He decided that the best thing for him to do right now was give her some space. She needed time to think this through and decide exactly what her relationship with him would be from now on. So after his usual activities in the park, he went right back to the apartment to get ready for work. He doubted that Kim would be pleased to see him show up for lunch as usual.  
  
On the way to work, he couldn't help but think about Tommy and how he had betrayed him. It was only a couple of weeks ago that Jason had promised himself that he wouldn't do anything to hurt either of his friends, and now he had. He wondered if the new red ranger would be able to forgive him for loving his girlfriend. And, though he hated to admit it, it would be much worse if the woman in question felt the same for him. It would be two acts of betrayal from the two people that Tommy trusted most.  
  
/It'd be so much easier if Tommy would just fall in love with Kat..../ he mused, somewhat jokingly. At least if he did, it would soften the blow a little. But he knew Tommy better than that. His friend would never even think of another girl while he was with Kim. If Tommy was one thing, it was loyal and honorable.  
  
That thought just made Jason hate himself even more.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
What was done, was done, Kim decided. There was no taking back what had happened last night. Now they just had to deal with it.  
  
She couldn't say she was surprised when Jason didn't show up for lunch that day. She figured that he assumed she needed her space to think, that she probably didn't even want to see him. But she couldn't blame him, not after how she reacted to his declaration.  
  
It had been so much easier to think that he probably didn't feel the same way for her as she did for him. It meant that she was safe, she didn't have to make a decision between them and she didn't have to hurt anyone.  
  
But now that all had changed. She was now faced with the choice that had to inevitably be made. Would she spend a lifetime with Tommy, the man that was completely devoted and would love her no matter what she did? Or would she choose Jason, the man who had always been there for her and would always be?  
  
She supposed she had already made up her mind. It was just a matter of having the courage to follow through with it.....  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
When Jason came back to the apartment later that evening, Kim was waiting for him.  
  
She sat on the couch, looking somewhat nervous. When she looked up at him when he walked through the door, he found himself filling with dread. He was sure that she would be asking him to leave, telling him that Tommy was the only one she would ever love. No matter how he had tried to prepare himself for this moment, he found that the pain was worse than he imagined.  
  
She was the first to speak. "I want you to stay, Jase." It was like she had read his mind. "I don't want to lose you, not now."  
  
She got up from the couch and stood before him.  
  
"When you said that our relationship had changed over the past couple of weeks, you were right." She paused for a moment, then looked into his eyes with an emotion he couldn't recognize. "But I think it's changed for the better. Jase, you and I have always been so close....I don't want that changing. But we're more than just friends, in a way, we always have been." Her eyes watered and a single tear ran down her face. Instinctively, Jason reached out and brushed it away, letting his hand linger on her cheek.  
  
She covered his hand with her own as she continued. "I can't imagine my life without you in it. There were so many times when I first came here that I cried myself to sleep because I was so lonely. I haven't done that with you here, I haven't needed to. You make me happy, Jase. And I wouldn't change that for the world."  
  
He hadn't noticed that tears had started running down his face as well. "Kim, I...." She placed a hand on his lips to quiet him.  
  
"I love you, Jason. I think I always have. I just never realized it until you came here." She smiled brightly, warmth exuding from every fiber of her. "I love you, Jase."  
  
As shocked and amazed as he was, he found the strength to take her in his arms in a tight embrace. She slinked her arms around his neck and held him tight. He pulled away enough to look at her face, deep into her eyes, into her soul.  
  
Then he brought his lips to hers in a kiss that held all the emotion and promise of the moment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: No, this is not the final chapter! There's still more to come. More drama, romance, angst, and whatever else comes into my pitiful little mind.  
  
In other words, the first kiss isn't the ending, merely the beginning.......oh, and please review! :D 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Disney now owns PR, Saban once did, and I never have. Such is life.....  
  
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A/N: This is going to be really short, but that just means that I'll probably update again before the end of the week. Hopefully that makes up for it. *crosses fingers*  
  
Please R/R!  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 9  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Jason awoke the next morning, he was slightly surprised to feel Kim's arms still around him.  
  
They were laying on her bed, still embracing each other as they had all night. Jason couldn't help but gaze at her gently sleeping form. The faint smile from the previous evening still adorned her tender face. She was just so beautiful. And now, she was his.  
  
He could hardly believe it. Just 24 hrs ago, he was raking himself with guilt over his decision to tell her how he felt. He had been so sure that she would never want to see him again, not want anything to do with him. How wrong he had been.  
  
They had talked briefly about where they were going to go from here, but those thoughts had been brushed aside as they let their feelings take over. They'd have to talk about the situation eventually, but for now, they simply lived in the moment. The future would decide itself later.  
  
For now, he was content to simply lay there gazing at her in wonder. He still didn't know quite how she could have come to love him, but she had. Almost as much as he loved her, of that, he was sure. That alone amazed him to no end.  
The former ranger looked over at her small alarm clock beside the bed and saw that it was nearly time for her to go to practice. As much as he hated to wake her, he knew that it would be even worse if she missed training. From what he heard, Coach Schmidt was a real stickler for rules, especially punctuality.  
  
With that, he brought one hand up to lightly stroke her cheek in an effort to coax her awake. A small murmur escaped her lips before her eyes fluttered open to look at him. Her trademark smile soon followed.  
  
"Morning, Warrior." She greeted him with a sleepy voice.  
  
He couldn't help but grin at the nickname she had come up with for him shortly after they had first became rangers. He still had no idea where she had come up with it, though it seemed to fit. It was certainly better than the other name she had come up for him: Rexy. The first time she called him that, he had just looked at her with a confused look on his face. She then explained (like it was the most obvious thing in the world) that it was short for tyrannosaurus rex, his zord and source of power. That name was quickly dropped.  
  
"Morning, Pinky. Sweet dreams?" He felt that his face was going to split in two he was smiling so wide.  
  
She merely stretched slightly and yawned a "very" before settling in his arms again. He chuckled as he held her closer, not wanting to let go. But he knew he'd have to eventually, and remembered why he had awoken her in the first place.  
  
"You do realize that you have training today, right? And if you don't get up now, your coach is make you do somersaults until you promise never to be late again." Her melodious laughter filled the room at his idea of torture. She knew he was right, but she couldn't care less if she ever went back to practice again at the current moment.  
  
"That doesn't really sound so bad...." she trailed off as she placed her head at the crook of his neck and closed her eyes again.  
  
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	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer still applies, as it always will.  
  
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A/N: Sorry this took longer than I thought it would. I would have written it last night, if it wasn't for my wonderful roommate being bitchy about it. Grrrr.......... Just a couple more weeks in the quarter, just a couple more.....  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed my last chapter, short as it was. I really appreciate it! ;)  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 10  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
The guilt was really getting to her.  
  
Tommy had called the previous evening, yet she was too ashamed to pick up the phone. Jason had been in the shower at the time, so he hadn't heard the phone and didn't even know that his best friend had called. Kim had listened to the message that her now former boyfriend had left, tears threatening to fall down her face.  
  
"Hey Beautiful. It's me. I was just calling to see what's up. I'm sorry I haven't been able to call lately, but you know how it is. I'll call you later. Love you, bye."  
  
He was so sincere in his apology for not having called. She found it more than ironic that he was the one saying sorry when she had more to apologize for than he ever did. She hated that she had let her relationship with Jason go so far when she hadn't ended her previous one. No relationship should begin with lies.  
  
Kimberly found that every time she thought about picking up the phone to call Tommy and break it off, she became petrified. She just couldn't hear the hurt that would be in his voice and the anger that he would surely feel.  
  
She had thought about perhaps flying out to Angel Grove and breaking it off personally, but that had terrified her more than the prospect of calling him. Besides, she couldn't really afford the air fare.  
  
In the two weeks since she and Jason had gotten together, they had talked many times about how they were going to explain their relationship to the new red ranger. Jason had wanted to tell Tommy himself, maybe by flying out there, but Kim had told him that wouldn't work. She knew that it was her responsibility to tell him what had happened.  
  
Jason had seemed reluctant to agree to that, but he respected her choice. So now she just had to decide what she was going to do now.  
  
For several days, she had simply put it off, deciding to focus more on her training. Coach Schmidt certainly hadn't complained about her newfound commitment to the training regimen, he actually seemed almost giddy about it. She was pleased with her improved performance of late and rediscovered her love for the sport. For so many weeks, she had doubted whether or not this was the proper path for her, but now she knew.  
  
If she hadn't given up her powers and came to Florida, then she and Jason would have probably never admitted their feelings for each other. And her relationship with him had brought her more happiness than she would have thought possible in such a short period. She knew that he felt the exact same way.  
  
One of the first things she had done after she and Jason had become a couple was to call her mother, Lisa, in Paris. Since she had come here, she hadn't had much of a chance to talk to her mom, which she hated. When she had lived with her mom they had been incredibly close, but now, with her in a whole other country, communication had been difficult. Plus, it seemed like Kim was always training and never had the time to talk. That was definitely one of the down sides to pursuing her dream.  
  
She wasn't sure how her mother would react to the news. Not only was she going to tell Lisa that she had broken it off with Tommy (a boy that her mother loved quite dearly) without telling him, she'd also have to tell her about living with Jason. Not to mention their newfound relationship.  
  
Needless to say, her mother had been incredibly surprised. She also wasn't exactly thrilled to hear that her still teenaged daughter was living with a young man, even though they had been friends almost all of their lives. Not that Lisa didn't like Jason, quite the contrary, but it was a big step for her little girl to take.  
  
In the end, Lisa had given her blessings. Once she heard how happy her daughter was, and the love that resonated in her voice, she had given her permission for them to continue living together. Though she did advise Kimberly to also talk to her father about it, but to make sure he was far enough away when she did. The last thing Kim needed was a dead boyfriend.  
  
But one thing that her mother said had really stuck with Kimberly. Before getting off the phone, she said, "You need to tell Tommy, and you need to do it soon."  
  
How right she was.  
  
The former pink ranger knew that she didn't have the courage to call Tommy up and tell him. Just the thought of hearing his pain was too much to bear. She also knew she couldn't just tell him in person, for then she would have to look in his eyes and see the hurt that she had caused. He didn't deserve what she was doing to him, and she hated herself for having to do it. She only hoped that he would be able to forgive her, and Jason, one day. She hoped it wasn't too much to ask for that they might still be able to be friends.  
  
A part of her wished that he would suddenly break up with her, perhaps because he fell in love with Katherine. But Kim knew that would never happen. Tommy would never let himself have feelings for anyone else while he was with her. And Kat would never betray Kim's trust like that either.  
  
Kim felt like the scum of the earth.  
  
She knew what she had to do. So she went to her desk, and began to write a letter.....  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: I hope that wasn't too bad. But you can tell me if it was by reviewing! *hint, hint*  
  
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	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer still applies...........  
  
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A/N: Wow. Last chapter must have been incredibly bad, no reviews what so ever. Hmmm.....that knocks my ego down a couple of notches. LOL.  
  
So, please R/R!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 11  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kim had been rather quiet the past couple of days, and Jason couldn't fathom why.  
  
It wasn't like she wasn't talking to him, but she just wasn't her usual, cheery self. He figured that she had finally told Tommy about their relationship, since she seemed so depressed, but he would have thought that Tommy would have called him up on his cell phone by now to ask what exactly was going on. Maybe he was just too upset.  
  
So Jason went on like nothing was wrong, knowing that Kimberly would talk to him when the time was right. Or at least, he hoped she would.  
  
Two weeks ago he had finally called his parents and let them know where he was and what was going on. They had been understandably apprehensive about the whole situation, but had begrudgingly accepted their son's independence. Though they had made him agree to visit the next month. Surprisingly enough, he found himself looking forward to it.  
  
The one aspect that he didn't look forward to was the inevitable showdown with Tommy. Jason knew that his friend would want to talk to him personally and get some answers. Not that the former ranger could blame him. He'd probably be just as angry and hurt if he was in the other's position.  
  
He and Kim had talked about his trip and they decided that he would stay about a week or two. She had wanted to go with him, but that would be impossible with her rigid training schedule. So she had made him promise to bring her a souvenir.  
  
The closer it got to his departure, which was still a couple weeks away, the more excited he became to go. He hadn't realized just how much he missed his home. He missed the old days when the gang would hang out at the Youth Center, their games of football in the park, and (to a lesser extent) fighting putties off all the time.  
  
Of course, the putties weren't around anymore. They had been replaced by Tangas and then by Cogs, though they didn't sound all that different from their predecessors. Everything he had known as a ranger had been replaced. New command center (or "power chamber", as it was now called), new zords, and a new Red Ranger.  
  
Sometimes when he thought about all he had given up, he wondered if it was really worth it. But when he looked at Kim, when he held her in his arms, he knew it was.  
  
Jason tried not to think about his trip in terms of reclaiming the past. That would be impossible, considering Trini, Zack, and especially Kimberly wouldn't be there. But he would be able to see Billy, Adam, Rocky, and Tommy. And he would also be able to meet Katherine and Tanya, Aisha's replacement. Plus, there was this new ranger in town. A gold ranger. No one knew who he was or what he wanted, but he seemed like he was on the right side. At least from what Billy had told him.  
  
It'd be an interesting mystery that he wanted to help solve, if he could. But he highly doubted that he'd be anywhere near the action. Which was as it was meant to be, he supposed. No sense for a former ranger to get involved with a present ranger situation.  
  
Since he was no longer a student at Angel Grove High, he figured that most of his days would be spent with family while his friends were in school. He'd see journey through the old stomping grounds, to see what all had changed in his absence. At least the Youth Center would be the same, since Ernie never seemed to change anything. That thought brought him some comfort.  
  
When he first began planing the trip, he had quickly decided that he wouldn't tell any of his friends back home that he was coming. That way he could just walk into the Youth Center one afternoon and surprise them. It would be so great.  
  
He was just thinking this when his girlfriend came home. Jason had been sitting on the couch, mind lost in thought, when Kim walked through the door and gave him a small smile. She looked exhausted. This constant training was getting to her and it tore Jason up to see it. He wished he could just take her home and never look back, but this was what she wanted. She was going after her dream, and he had to support her in that.  
  
"Hey, Pinky. How was it today?" He got up and walked over to her, embracing her and giving her a light kiss on the lips.  
  
Kim practically melted into him and her smile got wider. He had a way of taking all of her troubles away just by hugging her. She adored him for that.  
  
"Not too bad. Tiring, but alright." She grinned up at him, "What about you?"  
  
"My class got canceled today, so I didn't really do anything." He laughed pleasantly. Shifting his arms so that she could move easier, they walked over to the couch and sat down. He was about to ask her if she wanted to go out for dinner when his cell phone rang.  
  
Jason sighed, then told her, "Hold on. It's probably Mom calling about the trip." She nodded and let go of him. He made his way over to the counter on which the phone was sitting and answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
There was silence for a couple of seconds before a voice came over the line, sounding utterly miserable and somewhat angry. Jason's jaw dropped in surprise.  
  
"Hey, bro. It's Tommy. Look, I need to talk to you about something."  
  
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	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer still applies.  
  
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A/N: Ok, I messed up really bad. As I was reading over the last chapter in preparation for writing this one, I realized that I got the timeline confused a little. I mentioned the Gold Ranger in the last chapter. Don't know what I'm talking about? Well, the Gold Ranger made his debut exactly 12 episodes after Tommy _received_ the letter and I've written it as happening at the same time. So that's my bad. Sorry folks, but what's done is done. Just try to ignore it. ;)  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 12  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jason simply stood there for a few seconds in silence, too surprised to think properly.  
  
"Uh, hey man. What's up?" He finally mustered the mental dexterity to greet his friend, though he wasn't sure how long he would be able to call him that. There was an small sigh on the other end of the line before Tommy answered.  
  
"It's Kim." Silence again and Jason froze, knowing that this was the call that he had been dreading. As the former ranger started preparing himself for the fight to come, Tommy continued. "She broke up with me."  
  
Jason didn't know what to say, so he turned around to look at Kimberly. She was still seated on the couch, looking at him questioningly. She could tell by the look on his face that he was not a happy camper.  
  
"Oh." Was all Jase could think to reply. He sure didn't want to rub his friend's face in why she had broken up with him, he felt guilty enough without doing something like that.  
  
"Yeah. And she did it in a letter! She couldn't even tell me over the phone." The leader of the rangers became more angry as he went on. "Said she met some guy in Florida! She's been with him all this time!" His voice got quiet again. "I can't believe she never told me...."  
  
Jason's legs practically gave out from underneath him. He didn't know how many more surprises he could take tonight. Apparently Kim hadn't told Tommy about Jason's role in this whole situation, and he couldn't understand why. He almost asked her before he realized that if he did, he'd be telling Tommy about them.  
  
"Oh man. I'm really sorry Tommy." He sincerely meant it, and tried to ignore Kim's sharp intake of breath at the mention of her ex's name.  
  
"I just.....I just don't understand what I did wrong. What did I do that would make her want to be with someone else. Am I that bad?" The pain in his friend's voice torn Jason in two. Knowing that he was the one responsible made it all the more hard to hear. He decided that the best thing to do right now would be to try and comfort his friend. Telling him the whole truth right now would just devastate him even more.  
  
"It's not your fault, bro. Things like this happen, people grow apart. People change. It doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you."  
  
"But there must have been some reason that she left me.......that she stopped loving me." The voice on the other line quieted and Jason was sure that there were tears running down his face.  
  
"Bro, it's not your fault. It's hers and his. They're the ones who are responsible for this, not you. You didn't do anything wrong." Even as he spoke, he knew every word was true. It was his and Kim's fault for causing their friend this pain. They were the ones in the wrong.  
  
/But we had to follow our hearts/ He confessed to himself. One day, hopefully, Tommy would understand.  
  
For the next hour and a half, Jason tried to comfort his best friend. Eventually, Tommy seemed more accepting of the situation, or at least a little less angry about it. He was still hurting, that much was obvious, but he was dealing with it better. It helped to talk about it with Jase, and it also helped the former ranger to try and help his friend through this.  
  
"I just wish she would tell me why." Tommy said before ending the call.  
  
"She will man, she will." Jason looked pointedly at Kim sitting beside him, vowing that they would both tell him why this happened.  
  
The former leader turned off his phone and set it down on the table before him, not saying a word. After a few moments of introspection, he finally spoke to the young woman beside him.  
  
"You didn't tell him." It wasn't a question, just a statement of fact.  
  
Kimberly looked down at her hands laying in her lap, too ashamed to look him in the eye. "No, I didn't." She began, her voice cracking slightly. "I knew it would hurt him too much if I told him that I was leaving him for his best friend."  
She finally looked back to him, silently begging him to understand. He was hunched over slightly, his hands together in a tight grip. He was looking at the floor. A long sigh escaped him.  
  
"And why did you do it in a letter?" A beat. "That was pretty cold, Kimberly."  
  
The girl in pink couldn't remember the last time he had called her by her full first name in a conversation. It was a few moments before she could speak.  
  
"I don't know......because I couldn't tell him. I was scared to tell him." Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible. But the shame was evident on her face, tears falling from her eyes.  
  
He turned slowly to look at her, expression unreadable. They locked eyes for what seemed like eternity without speaking. It was Jason who broke the silence first.  
  
"It shouldn't have happened this way." was all he said before he rose from the couch and walked down the hall. She heard their bedroom door close quietly behind him.  
  
Tears continued to fall down her face, only now more forcefully. She knew how angry Jason had to be with her and she almost wished that he would yell and scream at her. At least then she would know where she stood. And besides, Kim felt she deserved to be yelled at. She had messed everything up, hurt two of the people she cared about most.  
  
She laid back on the couch, clutching her arms to her body, wracked with silent sobs. The tears didn't stop for the rest of the evening.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Please Review! 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer still applies.......  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Thanks goes out to all the reviewers! It makes me feel so good to know that you would not only take the time to read my work, but to review it as well. Thanks so much!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 13  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning, Jason found Kim asleep on the couch.  
  
He had been vaguely surprised to not find her beside him when he woke up, though he knew he shouldn't have been considering the way he had acted the previous evening.  
  
But he couldn't really help himself, he had just been so angry that she hadn't told him the truth about what she'd done. That, and the fact that she hadn't told Tommy that he was the guy she had left him for. It was almost like she had been ashamed to admit that it was Jason that she loved now. Just the thought of that hurt the former red ranger more than he had ever thought it would.  
  
Since it was a Saturday, Kimberly didn't have to go to training. So Jason retrieved a blanket from the bedroom and covered her with it, careful not to wake her up. He stood above her for a moment, thinking to himself. He could understand why she did what she did. She felt so guilty about hurting Tommy, that she was afraid to face him. It would be hard to explain to him on the phone, where she'd actually have to 'face' him, but that's the way she should have done it. There are just some things that need to be done personally.  
  
Of course, now he'd have to tell Tommy himself while he was home. It wouldn't be easy, and Jason doubted that they would still be friends after that, but it needed to be done. He knew that it wouldn't be fair to tell him any other way.  
  
He shook those thoughts from his head and went into the kitchen to grab something to eat. He need to go run, to work out some of his frustrations. He wasn't really angry anymore, but the situation still bothered him immensely. /Well no wonder. You stole your best friend's girlfriend..../  
  
A shudder ran through him as the thought went through his head. As if he didn't hate himself enough, now his own mind was turning on him. It was going to be a great day, he could already tell....  
  
He could hear Kimberly stirring on the couch in the living room. He set down the glass of juice he had been nursing for the past couple of minutes and went into the other room. She was sitting up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. When the former pink ranger finally noticed him, a look of shame instantly crossed her face.  
  
"I'm really sorry, Jase." She began in a rush. "I never meant to hurt anybody, but it just sort of happened. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the letter, but I just........I don't know, felt too ashamed about it." She looked down at her hands, letting the silence take over.  
  
Jason stood there for a couple of moments, arms crossing his chest, face inscrutable. He let a short breath out before asking the one thing that was on his mind.  
  
"Why didn't you tell him about us?"  
  
She looked up at him suddenly, more because of his tone than the actual question. He was so quiet, but she had heard the hurt that he was trying to hide. It took her a few seconds to realize why that might be and when she did, she instantly understood why he had reacted the way he did.  
  
"Jason, I love you. I wasn't trying to hide our relationship from him or anyone." She rose and walked over to him, taking his hand in hers and holding it close. "I guess, in a way, I was trying to shield you from it. I knew he'd be angry with me, and with good reason, but I didn't want him to hate you because of something that I did."  
  
He looked deeply into her eyes, seeing the truth in them. "But you're not the only one in this. I chose to be in this relationship too. And he's going to find out eventually, so it might as well be now." The former ranger leader looked down at their grasped hands, then back into her eyes. With his other hand, he gently stroked her cheek, then pushed some stray hairs away from her face.  
  
"I'm going to tell him when I go home for the visit. I have to, I owe him that."  
  
They were quiet for a moment before Kimberly finally nodded her head in agreement. Then Jason leaned over and kissed her forehead. Taking her into his arms, he knew that he was doing the right thing. They both owed their friend the truth, and that was what he would give him. Even if it cost him their friendship in the end.  
  
She rested her head on his chest, content to stay like that forever. She was thrilled to know that he wasn't still mad at her, even if she had to sleep on the couch. She knew he was right about the whole thing, just like he usually was, and she wished that she could take back the whole letter. But what was done, was done. And now they would all have to live with it.  
  
He leaned back slightly to look at her face, his smile returning. It was as if all was forgiven and forgotten, and she loved him all the more for it.  
  
"So, you up for some pancakes?"  
  
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	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Disney owns, I do not. It's a sad, sad thing......

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A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but I started working on another little fic (which I'm not done with, darn it!), and I didn't realize how long it had been since I updated this one. Shame on me. I'll do better next time, promise.

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Falling From Grace  
  
By: Batbabe

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Chapter 14

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The minute he stepped off the plane, he knew he was home.  
  
His family immediately rushed over to greet him after the long flight, they seemed so happy to see him. His little brother, Davis, gave him a little punch in the gut, his mom showered him with kisses, and his dad patted him on the back. It wasn't until that moment that Jason realized just how much he missed his family.  
  
After they left the airport, his family took him on a short drive around town, to see what all had changed. Not much had, except a few buildings that were once standing were now gone. But that was to be expected when you live in a city that gets attacked by aliens from outer space each and every week. Actually, it was quite amazing that the city still stood at all after all the megazord battles that had taken place there.  
  
It was late in the evening when they all got home. Jason was so tired from his flight and the tour that he decided against calling Tommy and the others until the next day. More than anything, he just wanted to sleep in his old bed in the room he grew up in. But he had a special call to make before he could do that.  
  
He dialed the familiar numbers and waited patiently for her to pick up. When she did, her voice was somewhat groggy. Though Jason's body was still on Florida time, he had forgotten that it was a few hours earlier where Kim was. He instantly felt bad about waking her up from her sleep.  
  
"Hey, Pinky."  
  
"Hey yourself. I was starting to wonder if you were going to call or not. I'd just about given up hope." She chuckled slightly, not a hint of anger in her voice. He pictured the trademark smile that he was sure was adorning her face at that moment, he couldn't help but smile in return.  
  
"I just wanted to let you know that I got here ok. I would have called sooner, but my folks took me on a tour of town. You'd be surprised at how little's changed."  
  
"I'm sure I would." She paused. "I'm really glad you called. I miss you already." Her voice was quieter at that. She didn't want to make him feel guilty about going, but she couldn't hide it either.  
  
"I miss you too. But I'm not going to be here all that long. Before you know it, I'll be back using up all the hot water." They both laughed at that. He did have a tendency to use up all the warm water in a short amount of time.  
  
"Just enjoy yourself, Jase. You deserve it." Another pause. "Seen any of the guys yet?"  
  
"No, it's too late to call them and I'm too tired to talk anyway. But I'm going to tomorrow." He smiled again. "I figure I'll just walk into the Youth Center tomorrow and scare the crap out of them." He laughed again, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately.  
  
"You do that." She was glad to hear how happy he sounded to be home. The former pink ranger just wished she could join him. "I love you, Jase."  
  
"I love you too, Kimberly. I'll call you again tomorrow, alright? Hopefully we'll both be awake then."  
  
"Sounds great. Take care of yourself, Warrior. I want you coming back in one piece."  
  
It felt like he would never stop smiling, she had a way of doing that to him. "Whatever you say. But same goes for you."  
  
The couple said their goodbyes and hung up, each missing the other like they were missing a part of themselves.  
  
The next morning, Jason woke up wondering where he was. He had grown so accustomed to waking up beside Kimberly that he was somewhat lost without her presence next to him. It didn't take him long to remember that he was home, though, because he could smell his mom cooking waffles downstairs.  
  
When he walked in the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of his family sitting at the table just like when he had lived there. It warmed his heart to see that some things never changed. His usual seat was open, and he walked over and sat down. Instantly, a plate of waffles, eggs, and bacon was before him.  
  
"Here you go, dear. Eat up!" His mom was so cheery in the morning, it astonished him.  
  
Breakfast went along as if he hadn't been gone for over a year, and he was thankful for that. The last thing he wanted was to be treated differently just because of a prolonged absence. The former ranger hoped his friends would react the same way.  
  
He had just found a comfy spot on the couch to play a video game with his brother when the door bell rang. Since Davis didn't even acknowledge the noise, Jason figured it was up to him to see who it was.  
  
When he opened the door, he was face to face with Tommy Oliver.  
  
"Hey bro!" The new red ranger enveloped the former ranger in a tight hug. His happiness at seeing his best friend again was more than obvious. And Jason felt the exact same way. It wasn't until he was faced with his friend that he realized just how deeply he missed him.  
  
The two young men pulled apart and it was then that Jason noticed the anxiety that adorned his friend's face. Something was incredibly wrong.  
  
"I'm sorry to just barge in like this, but I need your help."  
  
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	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer still applies.......

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A/N: Ok, I'm working completely off 7 or 8 year old memories with these Zeo episodes. So if something seems off, just write that off as my faulty memory at work. Oh, and Emily is not going to exist in this fic, for obvious reasons. I hope you enjoy!  
  
R/R!

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 15

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When Jason arrived home later that evening, he was still amazed over the events of the day.  
  
Just 24 hours ago, he had been a former red ranger coming home for a visit. Now, he was an active ranger again, and a Gold one, no less.  
  
It's funny how life can change so suddenly like that. When he decided to come back to Angel Grove for a visit, he had no idea that he would become a ranger again. Is that what happened when former rangers came home? If so, he couldn't wait to tell Zack, he'd be so jealous. Jason chuckled at the thought of what the former ranger's reaction would be. He'd be on the first plane home.  
  
Though he knew that would never happen. Zack had a new life now, he and Trini. They enjoyed the work they were doing and they enjoyed being together. The newest (and in some ways, oldest) ranger knew that his friend would never give up what he had now. He knew that Adam was a fine replacement, and that there was no reason to worry. The legacy would go on without him.  
  
In many ways, that was what the new Gold ranger had feared most when he gave up the power. He hated to think that his time as a ranger would be forgotten, that he hadn't contributed enough. It bruised both his ego and his confidence to think that his time as a ranger had meant nothing.  
  
He pushed those thoughts aside as he flopped down on the couch in the living room. Most of the lights had been off, his parents were out visiting friends and his brother was upstairs playing on his computer. Jason knew he'd have to call Kim soon, or else he'd wake her up again. He almost hated to call her and tell her what had happened. Accepting the power meant committing to the team, and staying in Angel Grove. She certainly wouldn't like that.  
  
And she missed being a ranger almost as much as he did, he didn't want to rub in her face that he had powers again when she didn't. He could never hurt her like that.  
  
But he knew that keeping it would hurt her far more than the truth. Besides, he needed to talk to someone about this and he couldn't talk to just anyone about this kind of thing. So he stood up and walked into the kitchen, getting a glass of milk out of the fridge. Then he picked up the phone in that room and dialed her number. He looked up at the clock and noted that it wouldn't be too late there, she'd still be up.  
  
"Hello?" She sounded completely awake and down right perky. It was like she knew it would be him. He had to smile.  
  
"Hey, girl." He hadn't realized just how much he hated being away from her until that moment. But he couldn't take back the promise he made today. He swore that he would guard the Gold powers until Trey came back, and that was what he would do. "I hate to just lay this on you like this, but there's something I've gotta talk to you about. It's important."  
  
There was a long pause before she answered, rather cautiously. "Go on."  
  
He took a deep breath before plunging right into it. "It looks like I'm not going to be able to come back to Florida for a while, longer than I'd hoped."  
  
"What do you mean? What's wrong?" She was worried that something bad had happened. He sighed.  
  
"I'm a ranger again." He paused, thinking she'd ask a question or something, but she didn't, so he went on. "Tommy came to the house this morning, needing my help. They had to transfer the original Gold Ranger's powers into someone else. They had tried to give them to Billy, but there were complications and he wasn't able to take them. They needed to find someone else, or else the powers would be lost, and Tommy thought of me." He paused again before adding, quietly. "I couldn't let them down."  
  
There was more silence as she took all that in. Jason gave her the time she needed, preparing to answer any questions she would have. And he was sure she would have plenty. When she did find something to ask, she was almost inaudible.  
  
"What's it like?"  
  
He wasn't expecting that to be her first question, but he could understand why she would think of that first.  
  
"It's kinda strange, feeling the power run through me again." She knew exactly what he meant. It was the kind of thing that only rangers could share. "But it's different this time. It doesn't really feel like it's mine. It's like I'm just borrowing someone else's power and energy. It just feels.....off." He didn't really know how to explain it.  
  
"Is the old ranger going to come back?" He was somewhat startled by the change in topic. Perhaps talking about the power was too painful for her.  
  
"Yeah. He has to go to his home planet and get.......healed, so to speak." He was still a little confused by the details.  
  
"Well, then that would explain why you feel like you're using borrowed powers. Because, in effect, you are. It's like you're keeping them warm for him until he comes back, right? And you've never had to do that before, you were always your own ranger. You never had to replace or stand in for anyone and you're not sure how to deal with it now."  
  
Jason was astonished by her keen perception. She had seen the cause of his uneasiness when he couldn't. She never ceased to amaze him. "Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"  
  
"Because that's how I'd feel. And I know you Jase, better than almost anyone. You can't let these thoughts get in the way of being a ranger, though. You've got to push them aside and be the best ranger you can be. Be your own gold ranger, not just a stand-in." That was exactly what he needed to hear.  
  
"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"  
  
"Once or twice, if I remember correctly." Her voice sparkled with amusement.  
  
"Well, I'll have to start telling you more often." He laughed slightly. "You know, Tommy said he was really surprised to find that I was in Angel Grove. He actually came over to my house to ask my parents where I was. I guess they were having trouble scanning for me."  
  
"It's the power at work. You were meant to be the Gold ranger." She sounded certain of that, and he was glad to hear that. He too had thought it was pretty convenient that he had just arrived home when the rangers needed him.  
  
They talked for almost an hour more before deciding they both needed rest. Besides, his parents were going to kill him over the phone bill. Kim had agreed to call Jason's boss at the YMCA and let her know that he wouldn't be able to come into work for a while. They had also talked briefly about arranging a visit, but had to dismiss the idea. She couldn't leave her training yet, it was too close to the games, and he couldn't leave his responsibilities there. They'd have to be content with phone calls until either she got a break or he lost the powers.  
  
"I love you, Jason." She said as they got ready to hang up.  
  
"I love you too, Kim. I miss you more than I can say." For a moment, it felt as though his eyes got watery.  
  
"Back at ya. May the power protect you, Jase."  
  
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	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer still applies.

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A/N: Ok, I'm trying something a little different with this chapter. This one actually takes place during an episode, as opposed to before or after one. Unfortunately, it's less than accurate, since I haven't seen this episode in years. But hopefully, it won't be too noticeable.  
  
Please review!

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 16

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How could he have let this happen again? How could he have failed Tommy again?  
  
The Red Zeo Ranger was missing, disappeared right from under their noses while they were at the lake. Obviously kidnaped by Gaskett, but there was no sign of his power signature or life signs.  
  
He and Kat had returned to the lake to investigate the sightings of the red ranger, but were coming up with nothing. There was simply nothing there for the rangers to go on and they were at a loss as to how to proceed. Jason had instinctively taken the leadership position in his friend's absence and felt the familiar burden of responsibility that it entailed.  
  
Kat was a wreck. She was terrified that something had happened to Tommy, that she would never see him again. Jason knew that the pain must have been made worse by the fact that she and Tommy had only recently begun a romantic relationship, since he was seemingly over Kimberly now. The pink ranger felt very deeply for their leader, just as she always had, and she was faced with the possibility of never seeing him again. Jason couldn't imagine how he would react if he was in her position and it was Kim who had disappeared.  
  
He shook his helmeted head, blocking out that thought. He needed to concentrate on the present situation, or else they might not get Tommy back.  
  
But he was still racked with guilt over his inability to protect his best friend yet again. His mind flashed back to a time, not so long ago, when he was again searching for Tommy. Jason had failed him then, and it had cost Tommy his powers.  
  
He wasn't going to let that happen again, not while he still had breath in his body.  
  
/Besides, I still need to tell him about me and Kimberly..../ He thought darkly. Here he had gotten angry at his girlfriend for not telling Tommy the whole truth, and he was doing the exact same thing. He just acted as though everything was normal and went about as if he hadn't betrayed his friend's trust and confidence. A part of him hated not being able to talk about his relationship with the former pink ranger, especially with his close friends. But at the same time, he would have felt awful talking about her to the others without first discussing it with her ex- boyfriend. To put it mildly, he felt like scum.  
  
It had been so easy to pretend that nothing had happened, to not tell the truth. The new Gold Ranger had kept putting off confronting Tommy; and the longer he put it off, the harder it became to tell him. But he'd have to eventually, if only so Tommy could forgive him in time to be his best man at his wedding.  
  
/Whoa! Where'd that come from? That's something I do not need to be thinking about right now.../ He shrugged mentally as he tried to put it out of his mind. Instead, he walked in Katherine's direction, to see if she had found any clues yet.  
  
He could tell by the way she stood that there was still no sign of the red ranger. As he came to stand beside her, he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder in a silent show of support. She jumped at the contact, not having heard him coming up behind her.  
  
"Don't worry, Kat. We'll find him. We have to." It took a great deal of effort to make his voice sound so confident when he was just as afraid as she was. She looked from him to back out over the lake.  
  
"You're right. We will find him." She sounded more determined than she had before in the power chamber.  
  
He again spoke, though more quietly this time. "I swear that we'll find him, Kat. I won't let him down again....I can't. I owe him too much."  
  
The Pink Zeo Ranger turned her head back towards him slightly, wondering what exactly he meant by that. She liked Jason a lot, she respected him. Before he had come back to Angel Grove, she had heard about him from Tommy and Billy, both of whom spoke very highly of the young man. She had quickly discovered that the praise was well justified. It was hard to believe that there had been another team leader before Tommy, but once she had met him and talked to him, it wasn't so hard to comprehend. She could see that he was a born leader, especially now that the red ranger had gone missing. Jason had instantly stepped up and taken charge, and he excelled at the role.  
  
The young Australian had first thought that there would be some issues with his return to the team. It was nothing against him personally, but they had been such a great team before, it was difficult to think about adding a new person into the mix. Aside from some initial reservations from Rocky, he had easily fit into the new team. He seemed to really enjoy being a part of the team again, along with being a part of such a close group of friends again. Though Katherine could still see that he greatly missed the old team, the original team. She couldn't really blame him, though. It must have been incredibly hard to be thrown into a new group of people like he was.  
  
Nevertheless, she was grateful that he was here now. His experience and leadership was something the team desperately needed now that Tommy was missing. Her heart sank at the reminder of his disappearance. They had only recently began to explore their feelings for each other, she couldn't lose him so soon. She loved him too much to lose him.  
  
She was brought out of her reverie by Jason's sudden start beside her. She turned in the direction that he was looking and gasped with shock.  
  
"Do you see that, Jason?" Kat asked in a sharp breath, hoping with everything that she was that it was truly him.  
  
Before them stood Tommy, fully morphed.  
  
He was transparent and seemed to float above the sand. His hand was outstretched and he called to them. "Help me..."  
  
Jason took off towards the image of their friend, determined to answer his call. He shouted a hopeful "Tommy!" as he ran. Katherine stood in the same spot, still in shock.  
  
Once the Gold Ranger reached the projection of Tommy, he realized his mistake. He looked back towards Kat, seeing her start towards him. It took everything he had to shout a warning to her, even as he felt himself being pulled away.  
  
The last thing he saw was her stop in her tracks as everything went black around him. He thought he could hear her yell a pain-filled "NO!" as he was consumed by the darkness.

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A/N: Now, I know that Kim didn't make an appearance this chapter, but I promise that she'll have a big role in the next one. Til then, review! ;)  
  
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	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer still in effect.

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A/N: You know what's great? The "Writer's Guide to the PR Universe". I wish I had discovered it sooner, it certainly would have been easier than trying to remember what happened during Zeo.

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**Falling From Grace  
**  
_By: Batbabe_

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_

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_

  
Chapter 17

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/He should have called by now./  
  
Kimberly was getting more worried with each passing hour. She hadn't heard from Jason in two days, which was very unusual. They tried to talk to each other every night, taking turns calling. It had been his turn to call two nights ago and he hadn't. And it wasn't like him to miss their daily talk.  
  
Thinking that something must be really wrong in Angel Grove, she had watched the news and found no big alien disturbances. That only served to worry her further. She had tried calling his house three times, but his parents informed her that he wasn't there. They didn't know where he was either, but they didn't seem overly worried. That was most likely due to the fact that they didn't know about their eldest son's extra responsibilities. But they had told her that for the past couple of days, Jason would come home exhausted and go straight to bed. She certainly didn't like the sound of that.  
  
So she waited to hear from him. She even skipped training so that she wouldn't miss his call, but the call didn't come. She started to wonder if she should try calling the other rangers, but dismissed it when she remembered that Jason hadn't told Tommy about their relationship yet. He had asked her to wait until he got a chance to talk to the leader of the rangers before she tried calling the others for anything. Still, she desperately wanted to call the other teens to find out if anything was wrong. She even went so far as to begin to dial Billy's number before she remembered her promise to her boyfriend.  
  
This was the part she hated the most about not being a ranger. Now she had to wait to see if her friends (and the man she loved) would be alright. She was used to being on the front lines, putting her own life in danger, but now she was a mere civilian. The feeling of helplessness was the hardest thing in the world for her to deal with, and she suspected it was like that for every other former ranger.  
  
She had been worried before when Jason had been late calling her. The last time was when Tommy had been kidnaped and brainwashed by that Gasket creep. Jason had been taken too and forced to fight his friend. He didn't really talk about it, but she knew that the incident had upset him a lot. Kim knew how that must have brought up bad memories of when the rangers had to fight the evil green ranger and when Tommy had lost his powers. Unfortunately, Jason still blamed himself for that happening. The former leader was the type that felt that he needed to protect everyone else, no matter what the cost to himself. That had been a great personal defeat to him, and Kim wished she could take that burden away.  
  
Now she felt every single lump in her couch as she sat waiting for the phone to ring. The former pink ranger had never been particularly patient, and now was no exception. /Please be alright, Jason. Don't leave me now..../  
  
Finally, the phone rang. The suddenness of it caused her to jump while at the same time she dove for the receiver anxiously.  
  
"Hello??" She answered breathlessly, praying that it was who she hoped it was. There was a short silence that made her wonder if she had just imagined hearing the ring, but then his voice came over the line.  
  
"Hey, Kim. Sorry I haven't called sooner, it's been kinda hectic around here." The fatigue in his voice was evident, but it didn't damper her relief.  
  
"Oh, Jase! I was hoping it would be you! What's going on?" She talked quickly, excited to finally speak to him. Briefly, she wondered if she was overreacting but decided that it didn't matter if she was. She loved him and she had a right to worry.  
  
"I'm ok, don't worry." He sounded almost amused.  
  
"I wasn't worried." She knew that wasn't the truth and so did he. "I just wondered what was so important that you forgot about your poor little girlfriend." She started to laugh.  
  
"Nothing's more important." He said quietly, before he sighed a little. "I've just been tired lately, that's all. The guys have had me at the power chamber, to make sure there's nothing wrong with the powers." He paused. "Zordon seems to think I'm starting to lose them." He added distastefully.  
  
The young woman didn't know what to say. She had been told that there was a possibility that he could lose the powers, since they weren't meant to be bonded to a human being. But Jason had been the Gold Ranger for weeks now with no problem. Why would he reject them now, so suddenly?  
  
"But, I thought that everything was ok, that you had absorbed them alright.....what's changed?" Her voice was edged with concern for the man she loved, who was too far away for her to help. He sighed again at her question.  
  
"I don't know. But I'm not even sure that's what's going on. It could be that I'm just tired from working out so much lately. It might not have anything to do with the power."  
  
Kimberly considered that for a moment, seeing that there was a possibility of that being true. But she seriously doubted it, especially since she could tell there was something that he wasn't telling her. "And what else?"  
  
How did he know she was going to say that? "I passed out at the Youth Center the other day. That's how all this started." Jason was a proud man, and hated to admit that something might be seriously wrong with him. But they couldn't ignore the facts......  
  
"I wish there was something I could do......I'm so sorry, Jason." She sounded small and helpless, and he hated to hear it.  
  
"You have nothing to be sorry for Kimberly. It's not your fault, please don't think that it is." He was insistent on the matter. "If this does mean that I'm going to lose my powers, then we'll deal with it. Right now there's nothing any of us can do but wait."  
  
"Oh, my favorite thing." She muttered, having had her fill of waiting recently.  
  
"I mean it." He said in the voice he used when he led the rangers. "Don't worry about this. Just try to concentrate on your training right now. Nothing's going to happen to me, I promise."  
  
They remained silent for a few moments as each took in what he said. Finally, she promised to try not to worry. But in return, she made him promise to take it easy and be careful.  
  
For the first time that day, a smile crept on his face. "What would I do without you?"  
  
She sound amused and somewhat serious as she answered, "I don't even want to find out."

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Please Review! :)  
  
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	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer still applies.

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A/N: Here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for! I hope it doesn't disappoint...  
  
Please R/R!

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 18

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/So, now I know how Tommy felt./  
  
Jason sat on the shore of the lake, under a tree, and looked out over the water. A frown adored his face and he had an air of misery about him. He didn't want to feel sorry for himself, but he couldn't help it. For the second time, he was no longer a ranger. For someone who lived to be a ranger, who felt it down to his very core, it was a hard reality to face.  
  
/I almost died today..../  
  
The former ranger had never really thought about the possibility that his body would reject the alien powers, not to mention the possibility that he could die from that rejection. He couldn't help but wonder if there was something else he could have done, anything so that he could keep his powers. But then, the power was never his to keep in the first place.  
  
Jason sighed and looked down at the dirt at his feet. He brought his arms around his knees and held them, wondering what he should do now.  
  
He could always stay in Angel Grove now. In the past few weeks he had reestablished his life there, making new friends and reconnecting with his family. In truth, he found that he greatly enjoyed being home and didn't look forward to leaving again. But that would mean living without Kimberly, and that was something he couldn't do. When he had lived with her in Florida, he had been the happiest he had ever been in his life. He'd finally found the love of his life and he couldn't go without her anymore. But, then again, neither one of them really wanted to stay in the sunshine state, at least in the long term.  
  
Maybe, once the games were over, they could come home permanently. He smiled slightly, thinking of the two of them truly starting their life together.  
  
He looked up when he heard someone come up to where he was sitting. Instinctively, he knew it would be Tommy. The red ranger was the only one who could really understand what he was going through and knew that he needed to talk about it. Jason couldn't be more grateful.  
  
"Hey, bro." Tommy greeted his friend. "How you doing?"  
  
Jason didn't quite know how to answer that. "Alright, I guess. Just sitting here, thinking." The other man nodded and took a seat beside the other. "I keep wondering if there was something else I could have done, something so that I could have been around longer." He chuckled lightly. "You know, I was just getting used to being a part of the team again." He looked back out over the lake, at the setting sun.  
  
"It's never easy to give up your powers." The red zeo ranger spoke quietly, also looking over the lake. "I don't think it ever gets easier."  
  
Jason nodded slightly in agreement, not speaking. They sat like that for a few moments, neither saying anything. Eventually, it was Tommy who broke the silence. "So, what are you going to do now?" He looked back to Jason.  
  
"Well, one thing's for sure. I'm going to have a lot more free time on my hands." He laughed, knowing how lame that sounded. Tommy just smiled, knowing that his friend was trying to cover his pain.  
  
"We'll always be here for you, Jase. Don't forget that." Jason turned his head so that he could look the other man in the eye as he continued. "And we'll always be friends, no matter what. I promise." The red ranger smiled brightly, meaning it with everything he was.  
  
The former ranger looked away, a familiar feeling of guilt coming over him. He still hadn't told Tommy about his relationship with Kim, and felt horrible about it. Here Tommy was doing his best to comfort him when he had caused his friend so much pain. Now that Jason was no longer a member of the team, it felt like the right time to come clean about what he had done. It was now or never...  
  
"You might not think that after you hear what I have to say." He sighed, preparing himself for the fight to come. "I've been meaning to tell you this ever since I came back, but there never seemed to be a good time..."  
  
As he spoke, he could feel the other man tense up slightly beside him. At least he had his attention. "You know how you told me that a couple of months ago, you had tried calling me at the peace conference, but they told you I left?" Tommy nodded, wondering where this was heading. "Well, I left to visit someone. I went to see Kimberly in Florida."  
  
A feeling of dread enveloped Tommy, he prayed that he was wrong.....  
  
Jason continued. "I went because I needed to see her, and it sounded like she needed someone there with her, so I went. As the weeks went by, we realized how close we were getting, how much we had always cared about each other and..." He closed his eyes. "we realized that we loved each other.....as more than friends."  
  
Tommy felt sick to his stomach. He couldn't possibly have heard right. They would never do that to him, would they? He turned away, eyes wide and blinking rapidly. His mouth gaped open, shocked. The other man spoke again.  
  
"I'm sorry, Tommy. I never meant for anything to happen, honestly. But" he was at a loss, "it just did. I never wanted to hurt you, man. Neither of us did." He sounded pleading, desperate to make his friend understand.  
  
"All this time, and you never said anything??" Tommy jerked his head back towards Jason, trying to understand why this was happening. The other man could only nod in response, feeling like scum.  
  
The red ranger shook his head several times, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. He no longer looked at Jason, unable to bear it. He rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture, trying to hold off the anger that was beginning to envelop him. This just couldn't be happening.  
  
Suddenly, Tommy jumped up and started walking away. Surprised, Jason then jumped up and called after his friend. "Tommy, wait!"  
  
The zeo ranger stopped in his tracks, then slowly looked over his shoulder at the other man. His face was a mask of steel, but his eyes were watery. He just looked Jason in the eye, not speaking, before turning again and walking away.  
  
Jason didn't have the nerve to call after him again. He simply stood and watched as Tommy walked down the beach and out of sight, not once looking back.  
  
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	19. Chapter 19

See previous chapters for disclaimer.

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 19

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He was staring as if he expected it to change.  
  
Jason had been laying on his bed, staring at his ceiling for the past hour. He was moping, and he knew it. But he didn't really care. He'd lost so much in such a short time, he figured he had a right to be moody.  
  
One day he was the Gold Ranger and was part of a tight group of friends. The next day, he wasn't. He had lost his powers and had lost his friends, though he could understand why he had lost the latter. He had betrayed a good friend who had, of course, told their other friends about it. The group rallied around the red ranger, and rightfully so since he was the one that they knew better and longer. Besides, it was Jason who was in the wrong and everyone knew it.  
  
The young man had tried talking to some of the others about it, but none of them would talk to him. He was left alone to deal with everything. Though Jason thought it was what he deserved, for not being the friend he should have been.  
  
He had tried calling Tommy several times to try and talk things out, but he had only gotten the answering machine. Jason had left messages the first couple of times, but then realized the futility of it. Tommy would call when he was ready, and not a moment before. Jason would just have to wait til then.  
  
The former leader of the rangers had never felt so alone in his life. He couldn't really talk to his family about what was going on because that would involve certain things that he really couldn't get into, and he couldn't talk to any of the other teens in the city, because they were mad at him for betraying Tommy. So he stayed in his room, alone, looking up at the ceiling with only his own thoughts for company.  
  
He had tried calling Zack and Trini in Switzerland, but had been told that the teens were in Italy taking part in another summit. He had also thought about trying to get a hold of Billy, but didn't really want to face Zordon and explain what he had done. His mentor would be so disappointed in him, he didn't want to even think about facing that.  
  
And then there was Kimberly.  
  
Jason had called her the night that he had lost his powers, but they didn't talk for very long since he wasn't in the best of moods. He called her the next day, but didn't reach her. She hadn't tried calling him in the two days since.Her silence unnerved him more than he would have thought it would. He found himself dwelling on the possible reasons for it as he moped by himself. Maybe she was disappointed that he was taking losing his powers so hard, or that he had lost them in the first place. Maybe she was giving him some space to think it out on his own. Maybe she just didn't want to hear about it.  
  
The brunette took a deep breath, not wanting to think that about Kimberly. She was better than that. There had to be a logical reason for her silence. Her training, for example. As it got closer to the time of the games, her training became more demanding. It wouldn't surprise him to find that she was working constantly.  
  
He'd just have to work through this on his own. He couldn't put his problems on Kim's shoulders, she had enough to worry about. She still didn't know about his discussion with Tommy though, and he knew he would have to tell her. At least then she would know that they didn't have to hide their relationship anymore.  
  
Well, he couldn't spend the rest of his life pouting like this, he decided. He got up from the bed and went downstairs, needing to be around his family. He knew how much he needed to be with people who cared about him now, even if some of them wouldn't talk to him.  
  
He walked into the living room and found his younger brother sitting in front of the tv, playing Nintendo. He could hear his mother in the kitchen, probably working on dinner. His father was probably out in the garage, working on one of the cars. Figuring he had nothing better to do, he flopped on the couch and watched as Davis lost his game. The younger teen jumped up and yelled furiously at the game, thinking that it couldn't possibly have been his lack of skill that caused him to lose. Jason laughed for the first time in days.  
  
Davis turned sharply, startled by the noise. "So, the hermit has decided to join the human race." He smirked.  
  
"Maybe, just for a while." Jason replied, grinning. He could tell that his brother was really glad to see him out of his self-imposed exile. The older brother knew that his family must have worried a bit at his actions over the past couple of days, and he hated that he had made them feel that way.  
  
Just then, their mother stepped in the room. For a moment, she looked surprised to see Jason sitting there, but hid it quickly.  
  
"Dinner's ready, guys. Davis, go out and tell your dad to stop messing with that thing and come inside and eat." As the boy ran off, she came over to her older son and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything alright?"  
  
Knowing he couldn't tell her the whole truth, Jason just smiled as he told her everything was fine. The look on her face told him that his mother didn't quite believe him, but she didn't pursue the subject. She walked back into the kitchen, and Jason got up to follow her. Just then, the doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it!" The former ranger yelled, making his way towards the door.  
  
When he opened it, he was face to face with the love of his life.  
  
She smiled that signature smile and jumped into his arms, letting out a light shriek. He rapped his arms around her, breathing in her beautiful scent. Then she pulled away, noting the surprise on his face at her sudden appearance.  
  
"But...how? What about your training?" He sputtered, still shocked to see her. The former pink ranger shrugged lightly and looked deep into his eyes as she answered.  
  
"You came when I needed you. And now you need me, so here I am."

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A/N: God, that sucked. I think I'm losing my touch...........  
  
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	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer still applies.

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A/N: I almost never wrote this chapter.  
  
When I posted the last chapter, the first review I got came from a completely anonymous person (that should have told me something right there) and totally bashed my work here. This person said that my story wasn't worth reading and that I should basically just give it up. I have to admit that, at first, I was hurt by what this person said and seriously wondered whether or not I should continue this, even though I get a lot of pleasure from writing it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it didn't matter what this one person thought. What matters is that this is something I enjoy doing and that there are other people out there who do enjoy my work and would like to see it continued. (Plus, I realized how absurd it was that this person had apparently read the entire story so far, only to say it wasn't worth reading). Everyone's entitled to their opinions, but in the end, it's my opinion that matters most. So I'm going to continue this story and I'm not going to stop until the very end. And I suppose I have Mr. or Ms. Anonymous to thank for that.....lol.  
  
But I do want to thank the reviewers that were kind enough to review the last chapter:

JPHBK

J

NeonSpeedRacer21

Jessiesgirl11

Wartstock-Leonhart  
  
Believe me, your kind words and encouragement meant more to me than you'll know. And to everyone who has taken the time to review this story, Thank You!  
  
Sorry for going on like that, but I felt that needed to be said. I apologize if this chapter is less than steller, but don't worry. It's going to pick up next chapter. ;)

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**Falling From Grace  
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_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 20

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It was times like this when she wondered why she had ever left Angel Grove in the first place.  
  
They were sitting on his back porch, relaxing on the swing. Jason held her close and Kim leaned back onto his chest. A small blanket covered them, a barrier against the slight wind. It had been a week since she had appeared on his doorstep, shocking the hell out of him.  
  
Not that it wasn't a pleasant shock.  
  
During her time here, the couple had kept a low profile, not wanting to shove their relationship in Tommy's face. They hated not being able to go to the Youth Center or the lake and hang out with their friends, but the they were willing to make the sacrifice. They owed that much to Tommy.  
  
But the young lovers hadn't spent all their moping about. Just being around Kimberly again made Jason feel better about what he was going through. Sure, he had lost his best friend and his second set of powers in a matter of days, but having her by his side made him realize that he hadn't lost everything yet. Kim had a way of bringing light into everyone's life.  
  
The young woman sighed blissfully. Eventually she'd have to go back to Florida, the Pan Globals were only a few weeks away, but she was content to stay in his arms for as long as she could. It had taken a lot of coaxing for Coach Schmidt to let her leave, but he had finally relented when he saw how determined she was. He had seen that she would have left, with or without his permission, and he didn't want to loose his star pupil. Kim couldn't have been more grateful. Jason was more important to her than gymnastics would ever be, and he was worth throwing everything away. She would do anything to make him happy.  
  
Unfortunately, she couldn't take away all his pain, but she could be there when he needed her.  
  
The first night there had been awkward. The Scott family was more than a little surprised to see her, but had welcomed them into their home. Of course, his parents had insisted that Kimberly take the spare bedroom instead of staying with Jason in his room. Their eldest son had, at first, been offended that his parents would think like that about him and Kimberly, but had eventually relented. He was just glad to be under the same roof as the woman he loved again.  
  
"You wouldn't believe how much I missed you?" His breath tingled her ear, making her shiver all over. In a good way, that is.  
  
"I might believe it...if you convince me hard enough." The former pink ranger replied slyly. He laughed lightly, making her body shake.  
  
"I think I could manage that." He shifted so that he could pull her closer. A giggle escaped her as he trailed kisses down her neck. He was really good at that....  
  
Kim turned her head so that she could kiss him in return. Instantly, her lips met his. Gradually, the kiss deepened and Kim found herself now facing Jason entirely. His strong arms were raped around her, holding her as close as possible. She ran her hands through his dark hair, then brought them together behind his head. He was almost completely on his back now, quite a feet considering they were on a porch swing. Both were aware of how unwise it was to be so....public...with their feelings, especially since his parents where just inside the house, but they had been apart for so long, they couldn't help themselves.  
  
Eventually, the two drew apart, both gasping for air. After a few breathless moments, Kim looked down at his face and traced the line of his jaw with her finger. She couldn't take her gaze off of him, he was so beautiful. For the millionth time, she wondered why she had never seen the love that had been before her all along.  
  
Jason smiled up at her and ran a hand through her light brown locks. The strands were silky between his fingers, a nice contrast to the roughness of his hands. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight, matching the radiance of her smile. To the former red ranger, she looked like the most beautiful creature to ever walk the earth. Not for the first time, he wondered why he was so lucky to have her.  
  
After many moments, she laid her head down on his chest and listened to the rhythm of his heart beat. It was steady and precise, just like him. She couldn't help but wonder why his heartbeat was so calm, when hers was racing.  
  
He continued to hold her close to him, content to spend the rest of the night just like that. His hand rested on her head and he closed his eyes, happy to be with her again.  
  
Jason wasn't sure how much time had passed when he saw the lights in the family go out. A glance at his watch told him that they had been out there for over two hours, and he was starting to feel it in his back. Porch swings could definitely get uncomfortable if you sat in them too long.  
  
When he glanced down at the woman in his arms, he saw that she had fallen asleep. For a moment he sat there, watching her. When they had been in Florida, there were nights when he would stay up for hours just watching her sleep. She always looked so content and peaceful. Not wanting to wake her, he took his time in sitting up. Once he was in the proper position, he lifted her in his arms and stood, heading back inside the house.  
  
It didn't take him long to reach her bedroom and he gently set her down on the fluffy bed. Grabbing an old quilt from a nearby chair, he settled her so that she would sleep comfortably. He glanced at the nearby alarmclock and saw that she had already set it for the next morning. That brought a smile to his face. She was always thinking ahead. But then, she was probably looking forward to their plans tomorrow as much as he was.  
  
Before he left, he lightly push some strands of hair off her face and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. Silently, he left the room and shut the door behind him.  
  
The young man made his way to his own room down the hall, nearly tripping over the equipment he had laying beside his door. He muttered a disgusted curse, too tired to move the gear out of the way. He closed his door and promptly threw himself on the bed. Before he shut his eyes, he reached over and set his own alarm. He hated to get up early, but it would be worth it when he and his love set out the next morning.  
  
It seemed like forever since they had been scuba-diving.....  
  
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	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer still applies

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A/N: I can't believe the reaction I got to the last chapter. I knew that there were people reading this story, but I didn't realize there were that many! Thank you all for your kind words and support, they meant so much to me. It's always good to know that your work is enjoy by more people than yourself. I can't thank you all enough for supporting me with this!

And I'm sorry for the lateness of this. It would have been up sooner, but I had finals and had to move back home. Busy week with no time to write, grrrrrr.........

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 21

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Everything was going to hell in a handbasket.  
  
Rocky had been seriously hurt. Kat had almost died. They had nearly lost Lerigot . And, come to find out, their powers weren't strong enough to take on Divatox and her army. Tommy didn't know how much more his team could stand.  
  
The team leader was trying to project an aura of strength for his teammates to follow. He needed to be strong for them or else they would all fall apart. The others relied on him and he wouldn't let them down.  
  
They were all standing in the command center, surrounding the alien wizard lying on the biobed. Not much time had passed since Katherine and Tommy had rescued the powerful being. The two had reached him in time, before the power of the sun could kill him.  
  
Looking down on Lerigot, Tommy was amazed that such a small creature could contain such great power. The wizard was almost cartoonish in appearance, with wide eyes and a big mouth. He was also very small, which added to the deception. But none of that mattered. What mattered was protecting Lerigot from Divatox, at any cost.  
  
Tommy looked across the biobed at Kat, who was holding Lerigot's hand. She had almost died in that river in Africa, while they were searching for the wizard. If he hadn't dove in after her, she would have been swept away and drowned. The young man was more thankful than he could ever say, he didn't know what he would have done if he had lost her.  
  
Kat was so much more to him than a friend. She had been with him throughout some of the worst times of his life, always behind him. For so long, she had stayed in the shadows, caring for him when she knew how much he cared for Kimberly. When the petite brunette had broken his heart, Kat had helped him pick up the pieces. Slowly they had begun their own relationship, but not before he reconciled his feelings for Kim. When Jason had finally told Tommy of his role in the breakup with Kim, Kat had been the support he sorely needed. She had always been there for him when he needed her. She had become his friend, his companion, and his lover. Losing her would have been like losing a piece of his heart. 

He wondered how he could have been so blind as to not see what was before him for so long.  
  
That wasn't to say that he hadn't loved Kimberly. The first pink ranger had been his first love. But his feelings for Katherine were so much stronger, so much deeper, than his feelings for the gymnast. A part of him would always love Kim, but Kat would be the love of his life.  
  
That had been just one of several revelations to come to him in the last couple of weeks.  
  
After Jason had lost his powers, Tommy had relived the times that he himself had lost his powers. The ranger leader had never completely reconciled his feelings over losing the green ranger powers, and those feelings had intensified once he had to witness his best friend going through the same thing. Losing his powers had made him stronger and he continued to grow from the experience. He knew Jason would do the same thing.  
  
It was when Tommy had gone to comfort the former Gold Ranger that he had learned of his best friend's betrayal. Jason was the other man that Kimberly had mentioned in that "dear John" letter. To know that one person he loved had betrayed him had been enough, but to learn that another had was almost too much to take.  
  
The red zeo ranger had gone into solitude after that, too wounded to face the world. He had told Katherine what had happened and allowed her to tell the other rangers. He knew that they would shun Jason when they found out about what he had done, but that didn't matter. A part of him had been so angry and hurt that he had wanted his best friend to feel the same. It wasn't right, and Tommy was ashamed of that now. But he was still so angry, he didn't know what to do with it.  
  
The more Tommy thought about it, the more he realized that it was inevitable. He had seen the way Jason looked at Kimberly and witnessed first hand the bond they shared. It almost seemed like they were fated to be together. But Tommy had been so drawn to Kimberly, he couldn't help but step in the way (though he didn't realize any of this at the time). And if it hadn't been Jason breaking them up, it would have been Kat. Not that she would have ever went after Tommy while he was with Kimberly, because that wasn't in her nature. It would have been his feelings for the blonde that would have forced him to break up with the first pink ranger. Kat and Tommy were just meant to be together, just like Jason and Kimberly.  
  
It was then that Lerigot began to spasm on the bed. The rangers jumped at the sudden violent movement, all looking to Alpha for an explanation.  
  
"Lerigot is receiving a telepathic transmission that appears to be upsetting him greatly." The short robot offered, sounding both worried and helpless. Once calibrated, the viewing globe lit up with the transmission from Divatox.  
  
For a few moments, the space pirate rattled on with her demands to have Lerigot turned over to her.

"And if you don't hand him over, I'll get rid of a couple of your favorite humans." The sneer in her voice was evident as the rangers were presented with images of two masked scuba divers. "My scans tell me they were once one of your own.....what do you call it? Oh yes, Power Rangers...." The two divers pulled off their masks to reveal the faces of two of the original rangers. Tommy could feel his face drop at the sight.  
  
"Kim...." His first love, a woman so full of light and life. The woman who had broken his heart.  
  
"And Jason...." His best friend, a man of integrity and strength. The almost brother who had taken his girlfriend.  
  
He looked over to Katherine, full of shock and sorrow at the sight of two of the people he loved most being used for ransom. Her face conveyed the worry and shock that she too experienced, while also communicating the support she had for him.  
  
In the brief moment that the viewing globe displayed their images, all the anger and hurt was forgotten. What mattered most to Tommy, and to the other rangers, was saving the couple. So much had happened........and Tommy would be damned before he'd let anything happen to Kim or Jason.  
  
/I'm coming guys.....just hold on./

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	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Don't own PR or anything related to it. Never have, never will.

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 22

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All he could do now was wait to be fed to Maligore.  
  
Jason sat in the holding cell, soaking wet from their attempt to escape. The plan had worked, just not for Jason. The others had gotten out, but the former Gold Ranger had been trapped after saving Kimberly. Now he was the only one who would be sacrificed to the evil being, no one was left to save him. But Kim was free, and that was the important thing.  
  
Two days they had been trapped. Two days of treated like pond scum. Two days of knowing that they were going to die. Two days of being trapped with Bulk and Skull.  
  
Jason wondered what he had ever done to deserve this.  
  
The constant dripping of water annoyed him to no end. It did nothing but remind him of the passing time, and how much closer it was getting to when he would be sacrificed. He didn't want to die, not now. He had so much he wanted to live for....his future with Kimberly foremost on his mind. The former ranger didn't even want to think about how she would react when the Rangers would tell her of his passing, it would destroy her.  
  
He shook the thoughts from his head, not wanting to depress himself more than absolutely necessary in his final hours.  
  
The rangers were coming, he had overheard that fact from Divatox herself, but they wouldn't make it in time to save him. He only prayed that they would be able to find Kim and the others before they drowned. His death would mean nothing if the others weren't saved.  
  
/Be strong, Kimberly....../ If only his thoughts could reach her. He wanted so much to tell her how much he loved her just one more time. There was so much that he had to say, to tell her, but now he wouldn't be able to. Now their dream of their life together would remain that, a dream. He would die and she would live. A tragic romance if ever there was one...  
  
/It can't end like this....If only I had been strong enough to save us both.../ Despair consumed Jason with each passing second. With each passing second, the ship got closer to the island and the closer Jason got to his sacrifice.  
  
For the first time in years, the young man held his head in his hands and wept silently.

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Sand was not the best tasting element in the world.  
  
Kimberly was more than a little disoriented when she awoke on the beach, tired and alone. She couldn't remember what she was doing or where she was for a few seconds before the memory came rushing back to her.  
  
/Jason! Where's Jason??/  
  
Her heart pounded in her chest as she took in her surroundings. She didn't see Jason or Bulk and Skull anywhere near her, she was completely alone on some beach in the middle of nowhere. The former ranger panicked, wondering if the others had made it at all.  
  
The last time she had seen Jason was when her shirt had been caught on the escape hatch and he had stopped to free her. He must have made it out after her, he couldn't have been trapped, or worse......  
  
Kimberly didn't have much time to muse over the possible reasons for her boyfriend's absence before she was surrounded by several half-naked tribal people.  
  
/Great, just what I needed./ She thought to herself sarcastically. Just when she thought that she was out of harm's way, fate threw another curve ball at her. She didn't have time for this, she needed to find Jason and make sure he was alright.  
  
A couple of the men picked her up by the arms, grunting in some language that Kimberly couldn't decipher. The spears they pointed at her spoke volumes about their intentions where their words could not. She was in trouble.  
  
/Where's a morpher when you need it?/

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It wouldn't be long now.  
  
The journey to the island of Muiranthias had been a long one for the Turbo team, especially their for their leader. Tommy had taken the kidnaping of Jason and Kimberly pretty hard, blaming himself for the situation. During the journey, he would isolate himself from the rest of the team and think over what he could have done differently to prevent this from even happening. He knew that thinking like that was useless since there was no way to change what had happened, but he couldn't stop blaming himself for what was happening.  
  
Kat had joined him a few times, saying little but offering her support. She would simply place a hand on his shoulder and lean into him as if she could give him her strength that way. Her presence didn't alleviate the guilt, but it did give him hope.  
  
The other rangers left him alone when he secluded himself, knowing that he would have to work things out on his own. The attacks from the putrapods were a welcome distraction, for a time, giving Tommy something to take his mind off their missing friends.  
  
Now on the island, the rangers were close to stopping Divatox. Tommy could feel the power flow through him again, in the new, yet familiar way. The Turbo powers were phenomenal and would be, he hoped, powerful enough to defeat the space pirate and her minions.  
  
The jungle was dense and hard to travel through, but the rangers were making good time trying to catch up to Divatox. With each passing step, Tommy filled with excitement and trepidation. He prayed that when they found Jason and Kim, they would be alright. What had happened between them didn't matter, what mattered was that they were still alive.  
  
Justin's exhilarated cry captured the team's attention. He'd found the opening to the cave and was making a mad dash for it.  
  
"Follow me guys!" Tommy could almost picture the smile that had to adorn the boy's face as he tried to lead the way.  
  
The red ranger felt joy flood him at their unbelievable luck, but that was quickly overshadowed by concern over Justin's eagerness. The newest member of the team was acting without thinking and running for the opening without waiting for the others.  
  
/Man, this kid's got a lot to learn..../ Tommy shook his head as he ran after the boy. /Hold on guys, we're coming..../

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Please review! .


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer still applies, even after all this time. ;)

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A/N: Wow, almost two months without an update! I must apologize to anyone who might still be reading this (if you guys haven't forgotten about it by now!), but I had a horrible lack of inspiration and have had issues in my personal life to deal with this summer that prevented me from writing this. I know that this is much shorter than I usually like my chapters to be, but the end just seemed like a good cutoff point and will hopefully wet your appetites for the next chapter. Again, I'm sorry for taking so long with this, but hopefully I'll be able to continue this more regularly from now on. Here's hoping!

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**Falling From Grace**  
  
_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 23

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Jason had never experienced anything like that in his life.  
  
In one day he had been to the brink of hell and back; he had been filled with an evil that had corrupted his very soul. He had almost killed his best friend and had almost helped Divatox condemn the world to destruction. And after all that, he had been brought back from the darkness, been brought back to the man he really was.  
  
The bright spot of the day was feeling Kimberly's arms around him again.  
  
If it hadn't been for Lerigot's magic, Jason might have never have been freed in the first place. That was really what nagged at Jason as he sat in the cockpit of the new megazord. The former leader of the rangers had been utterly powerless to control himself, the evil had just been too strong. He had been to weak to stop himself from trying to destroy his friends.  
  
So much for being the invincible red ranger.....  
  
The young man looked over as the entrance to the cockpit swished open, revealing the person he most wanted to see. She paused in the doorway, eyes taking in the new surroundings. When her eyes finally landing on him, alone in the corner, her face lit up and she rushed over. Without thinking, the couple wrapped their arms around each other and embraced as if they hadn't seen each other in months.  
  
Tommy chose that moment to return to the compartment.  
  
The instant he saw them he stopped in the doorway. He wasn't morphed, but Jason could imagine the hurt look that he was sure was on his best friend's face. It's one thing to know of your friend's betrayal, but to actually see it, to be confronted with it is something else entirely. Jason knew that this was coming, now that the three of them were in the same place at the same time, but that didn't make the situation any easier. He was just glad that Bulk and Skull had been taken to another area of the zord for the trip home. Slowly, he let go of Kimberly and walked over to Tommy, his eyes never losing contact with the red ranger's visor.  
  
"Tommy, I can't thank you enough for saving us. I know it must have been hard on you." His voice was gentle and he hoped that the other man would know how sorry he was for having betrayed him.  
  
Tommy's voice tight and strained as he replied, "I'm a ranger, it's what we do." His whole body seemed to stiffen and he found it hard to look Jason directly in the eye. Sensing the tension, the other rangers discreetly turned back to their stations, not wanting to add to the uneasiness.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Kimberly walked over to the two young men and quietly took Jason's hand in hers. She looked then looked up to Tommy's morphed face, wishing that he would demorph so that they could talk like normal people. "Maybe the three of us should go somewhere and talk...." Kim hoped that he would agree to that, there was a lot between them that still needed said.  
  
Complete silence enveloped the bridge. A few of the rangers turned their heads slightly to look at them, to see if they had heard what they thought they heard. One ranger turned around completely and stepped forward a fraction of a step. Kimberly glanced over to see that it was her replacement, Katherine, who had come towards them. She couldn't really blame the blonde, considering that she and Tommy had become rather....close....since Kim had broken up with Tommy.  
  
The red ranger looked down towards his feet, completely oblivious to the scene around him. He mentally weighed his options for what seemed like forever to everyone else. After a few moments, he sighed and looked back up at Jason and Kimberly.  
  
"Alright, let's go." He didn't wait for an answer before he turned and left the room, the two former rangers close behind.  
  
The three remaining watched them leave, still shocked by what had transpired. Katherine took a small step towards the door, wanting to follow but knowing that it wasn't her place. She didn't notice that she had reached out a hand towards the departed rangers until Tanya spoke.  
  
"Don't worry, Kat. Tommy's a big boy, he can handle himself." The yellow ranger paused as Katherine turned back to face her. "Besides, I think it's about time that they talked and settled this."  
  
The pink turbo ranger nodded slightly as her friend turned back to her console. "You're right." She spoke barely above a whisper. "I just don't want to see him get hurt again." Briefly, she looked back towards the door, then turned and went back to her station.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Disney owns PR, not a lowly fan like myself.....

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A/N: A big thanks goes out to all that might still be reading this story. No, I haven't forgotten it, I've just been suffering from an extreme case of writer's block. Any reviews are welcome since they'll let me know that people are still interested in seeing this continue. The four reviews I got for the last chapter really pushed me to finish this one, even though it took two months, and I greatly appreciate them. Now on with the show....

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**Falling From Grace**

_By: Batbabe_

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Chapter 24

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"I'm listening."

Tommy had led them to a small compartment just off of the bridge. It was filled with various boxes of extra equipment that the rangers might need to repair the zord with in case of an emergency or long journey. Kimberly walked over to a small stack of boxes and sat down, Jason followed her over and stood behind placing a hand on her shoulder.

Kimberly spoke first. "Tommy....I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now, but you should know that Jason and I never meant to hurt you."

"Honestly Bro, we didn't know it was going to happen. If we had, we would never have kept it from you. I really hope that you can forgive us one day." Jason's face was solemn, but not without a tinge of guilt.

The Red Turbo Ranger didn't move or speak for many moments. He was filled with conflicting emotions, anger at their betrayal and yet glad that his friends had found happiness. He found that he couldn't sort them out just yet, the wound was still too fresh and raw. For not the first time in his life, he didn't know what he should do. A part of him wanted to congratulate them for finding love and being happy, but another part wanted to tear into both of them for lying to him for all those months.

The two former rangers remained silent while Tommy struggled internally. Jason's hand tightened just noticeably on Kimberly's shoulder through the tension. She placed her hand over his and turned her head to give him a slight smile. They knew that they were doing the right thing, but that didn't make it any easier, or make the awkward minutes go by any faster.

Eventually Tommy sighed, somewhat defeatedly. His body seemed to sag as he began to speak. "I know what you're trying to say....but that doesn't make what you did alright." The couple could feel his eyes on them, even through the helmet. "I don't know if I can ever trust you guys again." He sighed again. "Maybe one day.......but not now. Not when I'm still so angry....I'm sorry."

With that he turned and walked back towards the cockpit, not bothering to wait for a reply.

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She held the silver medal tightly in her hands, not quite disappointed but not exactly happy either. She had trained so long and hard for this, and had sacrificed so much, only to come up just short. Her dream had always been to win the gold medal, not the silver. When she looked up from the piece of metal in her hands she saw Jason and her parents coming down the hall towards her, VIP passes dangling around their necks.

Jason's smile was as bright as she had ever seen it as he rushed over and took her in his arms to congratulate her. His enthusiasm was catching and Kimberly's mood lifted considerably. It wasn't long before she was surrounded by everyone and doused with compliments.

"That was amazing, Kim!"

"You did great!"

"I'm so proud of you!"

"So when are you gonna be on a Wheates box?"

"You looked beautiful out there..."

That last one was from Jason and spoken quietly in her ear so that only she could hear. She blushed furiously at all the compliments she was receiving, not quite she deserved such praise.

"Thanks you guys, it's not really that big a deal..." Her gaze drifted back down to the medal resting in her hand.

"Of course it's a big deal, Kimmie!" Her older brother looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a third head. "How many people can say that they've actually competed in the Pan Globals and won a medal?"

"Not many, I can guarantee you." Coach Schmidt piped in.

"But I didn't win...."

Jason turned her around to look at him before saying, "You've done so much, Kim. You should be proud of what you've accomplished. I know I am."

Kimberly's eyes grew misty at his words and she pulled him into a ferocious hug. All she could manage was a quiet "Thanks, Jase." The other spectators watched the young couple embrace for a few moments before Kimberly's mother chimed in.

"He's right Kimberly. We're all so proud of you and love you no matter what color medal you won." The young gymnast pulled away from her boyfriend to give her mother an appreciative hug.

"Now that that's settled," her father began, "we have some celebrating to do!"

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Two days later, the couple returned to their small apartment in Florida.

Both former rangers were exhausted after the long trip. The four months since the incident with Divatox had been extremely busy, what with her training almost non-stop and both of them finally graduating from highschool (which was very difficult given their tendency to move around the country with little or no notice).

Their relationships with the other Zeo/Turbo Rangers had been repaired somewhat. At least now they all were on speaking terms, all except Tommy. Neither Jason nor Kimberly had heard from him the entire time they had been back in Florida. In the days before they had left to go to the Pan Globals, they had heard from all of the other rangers, past and present, as they called to wish Kimberly good luck. Tommy's silence hurt both of them, but Jason especially. He tried not to let it show, but Kim could see how much it pained him to be cut off from the man he saw as his brother.

But they both knew that there was nothing they could do except give Tommy the space he needed to deal with things on his own.

"It's so good to be back!" Kimberly exclaimed as she came through the doorway into their apartment. Her smile was bright as she turned to face Jason. "I'm so tired that I'll have to spend the next three days in bed just to recover!"

"I think I could handle that..." He replied, giving her a sly look.

The former pink ranger raised a provocative eyebrow. "I bet you could." She reached behind his head and drew him down for a long kiss. After a time, she pulled away and smirked at him lovingly. "...But maybe later." With that, she turned and went into the kitchen, leaving him to get the bags.

Jason just shook his head and bent over to pick up their luggage muttering, "Tease."

"I heard that!"

The young man couldn't help but laugh at that. Just as he started towards the bedroom, her voice came from the kitchen again. "Jason, I think you should see this...." Her voice held none of the humor that had previously inhabited it. Jason quickly put down the bags and rushed into the other room.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Kimberly was standing before a vase filled with pink roses, her face displayed a mixture of wistfulness and sadness. She said nothing and simply handed him a small card with an inscription on it. He had to read it twice before he believed what he was seeing:

"_Congratulations Beautiful..."_

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	25. Chapter 25

AN: Here it is, the long awaited update! I figure that most readers have forgotten about this story, but I've actually gotten a couple of reviews in the last couple of months and they really pushed me to finish as I had originally planned. Hopefully I'll be able to now...

**Falling From Grace**

**By: Batbabe**

**Chapter 25**

It was perfect.

Jason looked down into the glass counter at the small diamond ring, picturing it on Kimberly's finger. There was just one tiny diamond on the gold band, but it was all he could afford on his Karate instructor's salary with him going to college.

He motioned to the elderly woman behind the counter that he wanted to take a look at that particular promise ring. Maybe one day he would be able to replace it with something much better, something that would mean much more.

Jason walked out of the jewelry store clutching the small velvet box in his pocket. The young man made his way towards the mall exit in a daze, picturing his girlfriend's face when he gave her his present. It was still two weeks until Christmas and he didn't know if he could last that long without bursting with excitement.

The chillness of the air brought him out of his haze as he stepped through the double doors of the mall exit. He sighed, it felt so good to back home in Angel Grove for the holidays. Granted, California wasn't much colder than Florida, but it was cold enough to feel more like Christmas than Florida ever could.

After the Pan Globals, Kim and Jason had decided to move back home to Angel Grove to be near their families, Power Ranger and non-ranger alike. Kimberly worked at the local arboretum while Jason helped out at the youth center. Kim also made a few public appearances at local charity functions as she was the first athlete from Angel Grove to medal in the international competition. Even though she didn't really like all the attention she received now that she was a local celebrity, she loved being able to lend her name to various charitable causes. It made her feel like she was making a difference again, even if she no longer saved the world on a regular basis.

He really couldn't afford to get her anything too expensive. He knew that she wouldn't mind, but that wasn't the point. Jason wanted to be able to get her anything she wanted, no matter the cost. But he couldn't do that when they were both working part-time jobs while going to school. There were times when he felt like he should be doing more, should be taking better care of her. He supposed that he could, if they didn't have a rent and tuition to pay.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the young woman in yellow walking towards him in the parking lot.

"Jason? Is that you?"

He turned around to find Tanya hesitantly smiling at him.

The former red ranger blinked twice before he broke into a wide grin. "Hey Tanya! How's everything?" He walked closer to her, surprised to see her. Jason and Kim had not seen any of the rangers since they moved back to Angel Grove three months ago. They had spoken briefly on the phone a couple of times, but that was the extent of their contact. Jason just assumed that they were pretty busy protecting the planet and didn't have time to really have a social life. There were some things about being a ranger that he didn't miss at all...

"I'm alright. I've been working at the radio station, but I'm getting ready to move down to Los Angeles for a while. Going to try to revive my music career." She giggled. "If I can." Jason smiled back. "And how are you guys doing?"

"I can't complain. It's really great to be back in Angel Grove again, even though it's still a little weird that we aren't having to constantly save the world." He paused. "Uh, no offense, but won't the team miss you if you move down to L.A.?" The confusion was evident in his voice, he hadn't heard that Tanya was going to give up her powers.

Her smile faltered just noticeably. "...didn't you know?" At his shake of the head, she became visibly embarrassed. "Sorry, I just assumed that someone had told you already." She took a breath and checked to make sure no one was around to hear. "We gave up our powers a little over a month ago. All of us did...well, except for Justin. He's still a ranger, but otherwise it's a brand new team."

Jason couldn't hide his surprise. "All of you gave up your powers? At the same time?" He really was out of the loop.

Tanya had the courtesy to look embarrassed. "I'm really sorry Jason. I honestly thought you knew. I'm sorry no one told you." As they walked to her car, she went on to explain how and why the older rangers had given up their powers. Jason understood the purpose behind it, even though he didn't agree with forcing rangers to give up their powers whether they wanted to or not. He knew what it was like to have your powers taken from you before you're ready and he didn't wish that feeling on anyone. Tommy would be having the hardest time adjusting to life without the power rangers, Jason knew, because he seemed born to be a hero. Tommy was, in Jason's eyes, the best ranger that there ever existed.

"Have you talked to Tommy recently?" the former red ranger suddenly asked.

Tanya looked taken aback by the question, but recovered quickly. "No, not really. I think Adam talked to him for a short time though. He's traveling the racing circuit with his uncle. Why do you ask?"

Jason sighed audibly. "He must be going through hell, having to give up his powers again." A pause. "I'd just really like to talk to him, see how he's doing."

Tanya smiled. "I think that's great. You guys have been apart for too long."

"Yeah, we have. All because I was an idiot."

"Hey, don't get too down on yourself. You told him the truth, remember?" She put her hand on his shoulder before getting in her car. "I'll talk to Adam and get Tommy's number for you. In the meantime, how about you and Kim go out to dinner with me and Adam Thursday? I know he'd really like to see both of you again before we go down to L.A."

"We'd love to." Jason smiled brightly. "Thanks for everything, Tanya."

She smiled back. "Hey, we ex-rangers have to stick together you know!"

Jason watched as she shut her door and drove off. For several minutes after her car disappeared, he stood there in the parking lot wondering if he would be able to talk to Tommy ever again without guilt plaguing him. Or would Tommy even want to talk to him again? He'd just have to wait and see.

His thoughts still raging, he turned toward his car and went home to Kimberly.

AN: Yes, I realize that not much happens in this chapter, but it is a necessary set up for future chapters. Hope you enjoyed! Please review!


	26. Chapter 26

**Falling From Grace**

**By: Batbabe**

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_Chapter 26_

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"I don't know about this..."

"Think about it. It's perfect."

"Hmph. So says the great Jason Lee Scott."

The couple was walking through downtown Angel Grove on a bright afternoon debating the virtues of taking a small road trip. Or, at least Jason saw it as a small trip. Kimberly saw it as a whim that her boyfriend wanted to indulge, a whim that they could not exactly afford right then. She could see where he was coming from, of course. He wanted to go to see Tommy race at a track in Arizona. Jason had heard from one of the other ex-rangers that Tommy was going to officially become a part of his uncle's team next month and Jason wanted to be there to support his best friend. Unfortunately, Tommy had not returned any of the several dozen phone calls that Jason and Kim had attempted to reach him with. Neither former ranger had heard from their friend since Kimberly had found the bouquet that Tommy had left for her. Kimberly was starting to wonder if he would ever speak to them again.

Jason, however, was convinced that Tommy needed them since he had been forced to give up his powers over a year ago. But after the continued silence, even he was starting to give up hope of ever being able to speak to Tommy again. Kimberly could see how much it pained him to be at odds with someone that he considered to be his brother, but she didn't see that there was anything the two of them could do about it other than give Tommy time.

"Jase," she stopped on the sidewalk and waited until he stopped as well and faced her, "have you ever considered the possibility that Tommy would rather not see us at all. He might be upset if we just show up to his race like that." She spoke very quietly and with sadness. A few moments passed before Jason responded.

"I know it's possible, but I have to believe that Tommy is open to the idea that we can all become friends again." Kimberly could hear the intense emotion in his voice as he spoke. "I want him to know that I'll always be there for him. I made a horrible mistake by keeping the truth from him, but he needs to know that I'll never make that mistake again." He stared deeply into her eyes. "I owe him, Kimberly."

The young woman in pink broke eye contact and looked down at her feet, ashamed once again. "We both owe him, Jason." She looked back up at him. "But I refuse to call what we have a 'mistake'." Anger was evident in her voice, shocking Jason.

"You know I didn't mean it that way..." he began before he was interrupted by his companion.

"Of course you didn't, but it sure sounded that way." Her voice was rising with emotion. "Jason, why can't you just give Tommy the space that he wants? He obviously doesn't want to talk to either of us and you badgering him constantly isn't going to change his mind! I'm sorry, but I can't keep going on pretending that one day Tommy's just going to pop back into our lives and want to be friends again! I don't know if that's ever going to happen!"

Jason stood looking at her, trying to control his temper. She was breathing quickly and staring back at him waiting for a response. The moments seemed to drag out as they stood there on the sidewalk, one trying to contain his anger, the other desperate to make him understand. Finally, Jason broke the silence and spoke as calmly as he could manage, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"If you really think that he's incapable of forgiveness, then I guess you don't really know him that well at all." His voice was quieter and sadder then he had anticipated. Kimberly's eyes grew wider at his accusation, amazed that he would say something like that to her. She couldn't think of any sort of reply and continued to stand there shocked. After a moment of silence, Jason sighed and looked away regretfully. "I...I'll meet you at home, ok. I've gotta go for a walk and think."

With that, he turned and walked down the crowded street, leaving Kimberly stunned on the sidewalk.

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Jason wasn't sure how long he had been walking, but his legs were starting to ache. He had walked around downtown Angel Grove for quite a while and he was pretty sure that he had been walking in circles because he wasn't that far from where he had left Kimberly.

Kimberly...

He deeply regretted fighting with her like that. She had a valid point, he realized, but he also knew Tommy. He knew, deep within himself, that Tommy could forgive them. That he needed their friendship as much as Jason did. He knew that their friendship could overcome any obstacle.

He couldn't be wrong about Tommy, could he?

All of a sudden, he knew that something was wrong. Something was off, he could feel it. He looked around him, but everything seemed calm, nothing out of place. But Jason couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was happening.

It was then that the ships began to flood the sky overhead. So many alien vessels, the noise was excruciating. Jason had never seen an attack as large as this, panic started to creep its way within him. The other civilians on the street started to scream and run from the ships, some calling for the Power Rangers. Jason's hand instinctively went to the wrist where his communicator once was, before he realized what he was doing.

He had to find Kimberly. He had to protect her.

Jason started running towards where he had left her, though he knew that she probably wasn't there. He just knew that he had to find her. He couldn't lose her.

He wasn't aware of the arrival of the Rangers above him. The sounds of their desperate fighting didn't register. The screaming continued around him, but he could not hear. All he knew was that he had to find the woman that he loved more than his own life. He had to apologize, had to set things right.

Suddenly he found himself surrounded by Astronoma's foot soldiers. He couldn't remember what they were called, at that moment, and he really didn't care. He would go through them if he had to. Jason instinctively positioned himself to fight them as they came towards him. He had already dispatched two of his attackers before the other four grabbed his arms and legs so that he could no longer move.

He futilely struggled against their grip, unable to free himself. He could hear the soldiers talk to each other in some bizarre language that Jason could not understand. For the first time since the attack started, Jason actually looked around and took in the destruction of his city. People were running everywhere, screaming in fear. The buildings around him were on fire with gaping holes in their exteriors. The destruction was devastating. Never had an attack been this total and annihilating when he was a Ranger. As he took in the scene before him, Jason's hope began to dwindle. The city seemed to have already lost the battle.

It was then that the former red ranger was suddenly freed. The soldiers holding him were sent flying into the air in front of him, as if they had been kicked from behind. Jason spun around quickly, only to come face to face with the Pink Ranger.

For a brief second, Jason was thrilled. Kimberly was alright and she had come to save him. But he quickly realized how wrong his wishful thinking was. This wasn't his pink ranger. She wore a different uniform, one with five different colored squares on the chest and a helmet that didn't resemble a face. This Pink Ranger was taller than Kimberly, and not as petite. Her uniform was streaked with dirt and it was obvious that she had been fighting the invaders.

"Are you alright?" The Pink Ranger asked hurriedly, with a voice that was most definitely not Kim's. "You need to get out of here and get to someplace safe."

"Right." He replied, knowing that she didn't have any time to waste exchanging pleasantries with him. "Thanks."

She nodded. "No problem. Just be careful." The Pink Ranger started to turn away, but before she could leave Jason spoke again.

"May the power protect you, Pink Ranger."

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked over her shoulder at him. The ranger looked at him for several seconds, as if considering him. He was pretty sure that she didn't know who he was, but she probably realized that he had been one of them at some point. She seemed to confirm his assumption with her reply.

"And may the power protect you too, Ranger."

With that, she was gone. Jason stood in the now empty area and briefly considered getting to know the new team once this was over. But he didn't dwell on the thought and started running to find his lover once again.

_Good luck, Pink Ranger. I have a feeling you're going to need it._

He picked up his pace, feeling almost like the power of the red ranger was flowing within him again.

_Just hold on Kimberly...I'm coming..._

* * *

AN: This chapter was the product of all the great reviews that I've gotten recently for the last chapter. I hope it was worth the wait. Knowing that, even after all this time, there are still people out there reading and enjoying my story is what really pushes me to write. I AM going to finish this story, I just don't know when. I think it's going to be a bit longer then I had originally planned.

Special thanks goes out to PrettyDiva for her encouragement to continue. Thanks a bunch!


	27. Chapter 27

Falling From Grace

By: Batbabe

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Chapter 27

* * *

Slowly, the darkness started to fade from her vision and a wave of intense pain washed over her.

The memory of what had happened came back to her. The fight with Jason, him leaving, the invasion, the screams, the fighting, the explosions. All of it. She tried to move underneath the rubble that had trapped her, but it wouldn't budge. The large pieces of concrete that used to belong to a nearby building were covering her legs and part of her torso, making it impossible to move. The sky above her had darkened into night, meaning that she had been unconscious for quite some time.

The last thing Kimberly remembered was fighting a group of Quantrons that were attacking some civilians. She had managed to keep them busy while the people escaped, but she knew that they would eventually overpower her. There were just so many of them, and she was completely powerless to stop them. That was when the building above her exploded.

She had tried to run away, but she couldn't escape all of the debris in time. Next thing she knew, she was waking up hours later under the rubble.

"Is anyone there? I need some help!" She called weakly, her throat dry and raw. "Please, if anyone's there, I need help. I'm trapped!" Only silence greeted her cries.

Kimberly was alone, and it terrified her. She was completely helpless in this position. Any random monster could come up and kill her at any moment and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. If she had wanted her powers back before, she definitely wanted them back now. She had to figure out some way of freeing herself and she had to do it soon.

Unfortunately, she was already weakened from the fight and she hadn't had anything to eat or drink since early that morning. She and Jason had been planning on getting a bite to eat when they had that argument...

_Jason_...

She had to find him, had to make sure he was alright. The last time she had seen him, he was walking away from her. He was so angry. Kimberly knew that she had disappointed him with her lack of faith in Tommy. She had stood in that same spot where he had left her for what felt like an eternity. Eventually the stares from the passers by had registered and she began walking around downtown Angel Grove in a daze. She didn't know where she had walked, her mind had been jumbled. The attack had started some time after that, she wasn't sure how long later. The sky had filled with ships and ground troops started attacking anyone within their sight. For a brief moment, Kimberly had thought that she saw a glimpse of the Power Rangers flying above her, but she wasn't certain.

Rita and Zedd had never launched an attack like this. As evil and powerful as they were, they could never have even dreamed of such a large scale invasion of Earth. Who ever this Astronoma was, she was a lot worse than anyone Kimberly had ever faced, and that thought chilled her to the bone.

If Astronoma was this strong, did the Power Rangers even stand a chance of defeating her?

Kimberly tried to push that thought away, she couldn't give up that easily. If anyone knew how resilient the Rangers could be, it was her. She may not know the current team personally, but she knew that they would never give up, not while they still lived. She had to trust in them, no matter what. Still, that didn't stop her from wishing that she could have her old morpher back so that she could fight alongside them.

"Is anyone out there, I need help!" She tried again. There had to be someone around to help her, she couldn't give up trying. She pushed against the rubble pinning her again desperately.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of someone moving through the rubble. Kimberly stopped moving, too shocked to make a noise. Then she heard his voice.

"Where are you? I'm coming, just keep yelling so I can find you!" His voice was somewhat distant, he was probably about 40 yards or so away from her. She called back to him, thrilled to know that there was someone out there that would help her. It took the man several minutes to make his way to her, since there was so much debris, but eventually he appeared before her.

"Are you alright? Can you feel your legs?" The man was young, no more than 18 by Kimberly's estimation. There was a brightness in his eyes, a kindness, that told her that he would do everything he could to protect her. She didn't know how she knew this, but she could feel it. She instinctively trusted this boy with her life.

"I'm alright." Her answer was breathless, she was so happy to be rescued. "I don't think I'm hurt. My legs are alright, I can still feel everything. I think I'm just pinned..."

Relief washed over his face and he smiled at her. "Thank goodness. Let see if I can get this off of you." He grasped the large rubble experimentally. "You'll probably have to help me push though. Do you think you can do that?" At her nod, they both started to lift.

Together, it didn't take them too long to free her, but both were gasping from exhaustion by the time they were done.

"Thank you so much." Kimberly breathed. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along." She looked over at him with gratitude written all over her face.

"Don't worry about it. I just did what anyone else would do." He seemed embarrassed to be praised. They sat there for a few minutes, both catching their breath, before got to his feet and stood before her again. "We need to get out of here, this place is crawling with Quantrons." He reached out to her. "Do you think you can walk?"

That was when she noticed his wrist.

Now she understood why she trusted this boy the instant that she saw him. He was wearing one of the communicators that Billy had designed so long ago. The sight of it on her savior's wrist made her pause briefly before she reached out and took his offered hand. He didn't seem to notice her brief hesitation.

"Yeah, I think I can." He helped her to her feet gingerly. She wobbled a little as her legs hadn't been used during the several hours that she was pinned. He steadied her against him and gave her a moment to get used to standing before he wrapped one arm around her shoulders to help her walk.

They set off southward, with him leading the way. Kimberly didn't protest. Now that she knew who he was, she realized that he would know where the safest place to go would be. The thought that he was alone and unmorphed bothered her, but she knew that she had to trust him. He didn't seem like the type that would run away from a battle.

Just like Jason...

After a few moments of silence, Kimberly's curiosity got the better of her. "Not that I'm not glad that you were here, but why are you out in the middle of the war zone by yourself? I thought that most people would have found a shelter by now." But then, she knew that he wasn't most people...

The young man at her side seemed to consider his answer for a moment. Kimberly knew that he had to be thinking of excuses that sounded plausible, but were still truthful. She remembered having to make up plenty of excuses in her day, not all of which were that believable.

"Well," he responded, "I was with my friends and a big group earlier, but a couple of us went out to try and find some food and water and medical supplies. That's what I was doing when I heard you call for help."

"Oh." The thought of all of the people that must have been hurt and suffering subdued her excitement at finally meeting one of the new Rangers. "How bad is it?"

He understood what she meant without having to ask. "Most of the people in our group are alright, just some scratches and bruises. There's a few people with some broken bones though, and I don't even want to think about all the people that must have died."

He trailed off and Kimberly could her the guilt in his voice. Her heart went out to him. While she knew what it was like to feel responsible for the destruction that a monster caused, she had never had to deal with something as huge as this. She couldn't imagine how horrible he must have felt at that moment, how he must have wondered if there was anything he could have done differently. The former pink ranger knew that there was nothing that he could have done, even though they both may have wished differently.

They walked along in silence for a few moments before Kimberly spoke.

"You saved my life. And you never gave up trying," she wasn't referring to her rescue anymore. "You should feel proud of yourself." He gave a quiet grunt at this. "Hey, we haven't lost yet you know. We're going to get through this, we're going to live. I honestly believe that the world isn't going to end like this, no matter how bad everything looks right now. You've got to believe that too."

He looked surprised at her emphatic statement and seemed to consider her words carefully. "I guess you're right..." He sounded more hopeful this time and she giggled.

"Of course I am." Now they both laughed outright, it was probably the first time either of them had laughed that day. "By the way, my name's Kimberly." She offered her hand and he shook it happily.

"I'm Carlos. It's nice to meet you, Kimberly." His smile was as bright as his eyes and she couldn't help smiling back.

They continued to chat lightly as they made their way to the group that Carlos had mentioned. Kimberly's legs soon regained their strength and she didn't need his assistance anymore. She couldn't help the excitement she felt knowing that she was going to probably meet the other Rangers. It had been so hard to not know who was on the team, she had always wanted to get to know them. In a way, they were all family, all members of an elite club. She felt that it was only right that she welcome them into the group as any big sister would. Of course, the circumstances of their meeting certainly weren't what Kim had hoped for. Maybe once all this was over, they could all get together to celebrate and get to know one another.

Maybe...

Again her heart ached for Jason. He had to be alright, he just had to. She felt that she would know if anything had happened to him, as irrational as that sounded. He was ok, she was sure of it. Now she just had to find him before everything went to hell...

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the wait, but I hope it was worth it. Please Review:) 


	28. Chapter 28

**Falling From Grace**

**By: Batbabe**

_

* * *

Chapter 28_

* * *

AN: Ok, this is kind of an interlude. It really does nothing to enhance the plot at all. I wrote it simply because I've always wondered what the former rangers were doing during the Countdown. So yeah, I wrote this just cause I wanted to. ;) One section of the chapter relates to my fic, "Lying Beside You", but you don't need to read it to understand what's going on. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Tommy was still suffering from jet-lag. That was the only explanation for him finding himself unconscious on the couch during the day. Granted, it was a really comfortable couch, but he still wasn't the type to snooze during the afternoon. If Kat hadn't giggled so much when she found him dozing in her living room, he might have still been asleep. 

He felt vaguely guilty about it, since they hadn't seen each other in weeks and he couldn't seem to stay awake long enough to talk to her. He had flown to London just yesterday to see her after all, you'd think that he'd be able to wait at least two days before falling asleep on her.

But she understood, just like she always did. Kat was incredible like that and Tommy wasn't sure that he deserved her. She had waited for his racing season to finish up before she could see him. She understood that he needed the thrill and danger of the race, how he loved it. She allowed him to follow his own path and supported him throughout the journey. He knew how much she worried about him racing, how dangerous it was, but she never expressed it. Somehow she knew that it was just a phase that he had to go through and that he would eventually grow out of it. Something had to fill the void of being a Ranger.

He only hoped that he could support her and her dreams as she did his.

Tommy had only been with her for a day, but he found himself never wanting to leave her side again. Waking up with her at his side that morning had been incredible. It had made him wonder how he could have ever gone through life any other way. He actually didn't want the new racing season to start.

"You know, if you sleep in the afternoon you'll never be able to get to sleep tonight." Her eyes twinkled with humor as she sat down beside him on her couch.

"Yeah, I know." Tommy looked down at the floor guiltily for an instant. "Sorry about that. Guess I'm just really tired from the flight and all the sight seeing we did today. I didn't realize that London was that big." He laughed as he took her hand in his.

"Out of shape now that you don't have to fight Piranatrons anymore?" He laughed even harder.

"Maybe." His laughter faded and he was quiet for a moment. "I hope you know how much you mean to me. I know that it hasn't been easy for you to be here by yourself with me racing at home." Tommy squeezed her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. "I just want you to know how much I appreciate you sticking by me on this. I'll get over it soon."

Kat looked down at their clasped hands before looking back up at him. "I know. And I do understand. I love you, Tommy, and I'll support you no matter what you do."

Deeply touched, he brought her hand up to his mouth and gave it a light kiss. "I love you too, Katherine." He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. They stayed that way for several moments, before they heard a loud whine.

"What on earth is that?"

"I don't know." Tommy said as he ran to the window. "But whatever it is, it doesn't sound good."

As if to prove the point, an explosion was then heard from somewhere in the city. Tommy could see flames and smoke rise from somewhere in the distance. Subconsciously, both Tommy and Katherine grabbed their wrists for a communicator that wasn't there.

"This is a special report. London is under attack by the forces of evil." Tommy and Kat turned their attention to the television in the corner. The young male anchor seemed to barely contain his fear as he reported the situation in the city. "From what we've been able to gather, London is just one of several major cities throughout the world that's being attacked. We've gotten reports that Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Moscow, Hong Kong, Mexico City, New York, and Los Angeles are all under attack. According to one unconfirmed report, the main attack seems to be centered on the city of Angel Grove, California, in the United States." He paused to look up from his notes and the two former rangers watching were filled with a sense of dread. "As I'm sure most of our viewers know, Angel Grove is the usual target for the evil space aliens that relentlessly attack our planet. The Power Rangers have been spotted in the skies above the city, but it does not appear that they are having an effect. We will continue to..." The picture abruptly went black and silent.

"Oh god Tommy, what should we do?" The fear was evident in Katherine's voice as she turned to look at him. Another explosion was heard, this time much closer.

"I don't know, Kat." She had never seen him look so helpless in all the time she had known him. "I'm not sure there's anything we can do..."

* * *

"You know, Adam, you really are a horrible liar." Tonya giggled as she took his hand and left the studio with him. 

"I am not. You just don't take compliments well." He laughed.

Adam had went with Tonya to another audition at another recording studio in Los Angeles. They had been in town for a few weeks and had been working non-stop trying to convince a record producer to take a chance on her. She had sent her tapes to all the major and non-major labels that she found, but none had replied or shown any interest. At this point, she was just trying to find a job as a back-up singer so she could pay the rent. Luckily for her, Adam had been able to get a job as a stunt man at one of the smaller studios in town. If it wasn't for him bringing home a steady check, they wouldn't be able to get by.

Tonya knew how lucky she was to have him by her side. He had put his own dreams of opening a dojo with Rocky to the side so that he could be with her to support her dreams. Adam loved her so much, he always put himself last. One day she would be able to repay him. One day she would find success with her music and then she'd be able to help Adam and Rocky start their dojo. She would be able to support him the way he always supported her.

"Hopefully this audition went better than the last one. Maybe this time they'll actually think about asking me back." She rolled her eyes and sighed in frustration. Tonya knew that it would be hard to get her career started, she just didn't realize it would be so emotionally draining. For someone who was used to excelling in everything she did, it was hard to face so much rejection.

"Don't get down about it." Adam squeezed her hand. "You did your best, right? That all that matters."

"You're right. I know you're right." She squeezed his hand back. "It's just hard to keep being rejected and not take it personally."

"I understand. But just think about how great you'll feel when you finally get a call back from someone who believes in you. It'll make it all worth it." He gave her his trademark bright smile and her mood instantly lifted.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" She asked quietly, blushing slightly.

"Well, now that you mention it..." Adam leaned in for a kiss, but before their lips met, a large boom was heard from overhead.

Everyone on the street instantly ducked to the ground, most of them screaming. The two former rangers were the only ones left on their feet as they searched frantically for the source of the explosion. Almost immediately, the sky above them was filled with invading space fighters. There were too many ships for either of them to count and that filled the couple with more fear than they had felt in a long time. Both reached for their wrists, forgetting that there was nothing there.

"What should we do?" Tanya's voice was on the verge of panic. She and Adam stared at each other for a brief moment before he replied.

"The only thing we can do, fight."

* * *

Zack hated layovers with a passion, especially when it wasn't the type of layover where you had enough time to go out and see the sites of the city that you were in. Unfortunately, he and Trini had to deal with the type of layover that only left you enough time to get a bite to eat, sneak in a quick nap, and sit and twiddle your thumbs in boredom. The fact that they were currently in Paris awaiting a flight to the states just made it worse. Here he was with his girlfriend in the most romantic city in the world and all they could do was sit in a stuffy airport and wait for their flight. 

"Don't be so tense, it's not going to make the time go by any faster." Trini spoke quietly from her spot beside him. She loved to lean against him and feel his arm around her. He always seemed so strong and sturdy to her.

He looked down at her and saw that her eyes were closed serenely. Zack was constantly amazed that nothing ever seemed to phase her. No matter what happened, she could always be counted on to be the voice of reason, the calm in the storm. While he himself was pretty easygoing for the most part, he admired her ability to take everything in stride and dispense wisdom as she was doing it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be an uncomfortable pillow." He was glad to see her smile at that. He loved making her smile.

"Don't worry. I'm used to it by now." She giggled quietly but didn't open her eyes.

"I guess you are, aren't you." It wasn't a question, just a statement of how much time they had spent together. It had been so long since they had left Angel Grove to take part in the peace conference with Jason. While Jason had left soon after, Zack and Trini had stayed. The conference had brought them together as a couple and they had truly loved their time there. After graduating from high school, they had stayed in Switzerland as advisors to the new delegates. Their experiences had been very rewarding, but now they felt that it was time to move on. It was time to go home and spend time with their families and go to college. Zack was thinking about pursuing a degree in advertising, as he had always been very good with coming up with new ideas and slogans. Trini, on the other hand, was planning on getting a degree in international relations with a focus on philanthropy. Zack felt that was the perfect field for her. She was always so dedicated to helping others, even at the cost of herself. That fact had been more than evident during their days as rangers.

The Rangers...That was another thing Zack wanted to do when he got home. He really wanted to meet this new crew and see what they were like. All he knew was that they were a relatively new group that had taken over for Tommy, Adam, and the others. Jason and Kimberly were the sources of all of his information of home these days, but they didn't really know anything. They didn't even know the ranger's names.

Tommy probably knew, but Zack hadn't spoken to him since Tommy had found out about Jason and Kim getting together. It wasn't that Tommy was mad at Zack or Trini, but he probably assumed that they supported Jason and Kim since they had all known each other so long. The sad fact was that Tommy was right to assume that. As far as Zack was concerned, Jason and Kimberly were meant to be together plain and simple. The former black ranger had seen the look of pain on Jason's face too many times when Kim was with another guy. Zack really admired his best friend's ability to ignore his own desires for the sake of hers. Thank goodness that Zack had never had to go through that with Trini.

He hugged her tighter to him, filled with appreciation for what he had.

"I love you too." Her voice was so quiet, he barely heard it. He loved how she instinctively knew everything he felt and wanted to say. It was just another thing that he admired about her. As he looked down at her, he noticed that she had finally opened her eyes and was looking right back at him.

An alarm went off suddenly in the airport.

All around them, the busy travelers stopped what they were doing and looked all around them to see what the commotion was about. Trini sat up and allowed Zack to stand and help her to her feet.

"I wonder what's going on." She asked softly as she looked around.

"Don't know, maybe it's just a drill or something." Zack replied. He motioned to a group of people that were starting to gather around one of the televisions in the terminal. "Let's go check it out."

They made their way over and immediately noticed the frightened looks on everyone's faces. The reporter on the screen was speaking in French, but luckily for the two former rangers there were English subtitles at the bottom. As they read, both became filled with a sense of dread. They grabbed for their communicators, but were wearing only watches.

The crowd around them grew larger and more uneasy as the sound of faint explosions could be heard. Trini and Zack could only look at each other, powerless to do anything.

* * *

AN Pt 2: I hope that wasn't too tedious. I actually could have made it much longer because I had originally intended to include all of the former rangers, but I thought that might be too long. But don't worry, Jason and Kim will return next chapter. Thanks again for all the review and support for this story! I greatly appreciate it. 


	29. Chapter 29

AN: Sorry about the delay! I actually had over half of this written several weeks ago, but I broke my wrist and couldn't write the rest of it. Now that I'm better I'm shooting for updating at least once every week or two (most likely two). I can't promise anything however. But I am determined to finish this, no matter what:)

* * *

**Falling From Grace**

**By: Batbabe**

* * *

_Chapter 29_

* * *

Kimberly didn't like eavesdropping, even if it could be informative. But she couldn't sleep and they weren't exactly trying to be quiet. Of course, the two girls actually thought that Kim was asleep, so they felt free to discuss anything.

The one girl, Ashley, was very upset. From what Kimberly could hear, her boyfriend had taken off in an attempt to save his sister. Ashley was afraid that he was never going to come back, a fear that Kimberly could sympathize with. The other girl, Cassie, was doing her best to comfort her friend even though they both knew that the odds were against them living through the next couple of days.

Kim's heart went out to the group of teenagers. Carlos had brought her to his friends after he had saved her from the rubble. There she met all of the rangers except for the Red Ranger, Ashley's boyfriend, Andros. None of the rangers knew who she was, but she was able to figure out which ranger was which by the clothes they wore. Thank goodness for color coding. At least that much hadn't changed since her time as a ranger.

They were all so kind and welcoming towards her. She was somewhat surprised that they hadn't tried to move her over to the group a couple of yards away. She knew that they wouldn't be able to speak freely with a "civilian" among them. But instead they welcomed her, fed her, and gave her a place to sleep by their fire. The former ranger was immensely grateful, she didn't really want to be among strangers right now, as odd as it seemed. She may not have known this group personally, but they were still her family. Though they were more like cousins when compared to her own teammates, her brothers and sisters.

Not long after arriving at the makeshift camp, Kimberly had lied down and tried to sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day, she was certain, so she had to be ready. Unfortunately, sleep evaded her. The rangers must have thought that she had fallen asleep because they started talking quietly amongst themselves. The two girls were closest to her, so she was able to hear their conversation quite clearly. Even though Kimberly felt incredibly guilty for eavesdropping, she wanted to learn more about these rangers. So she pretended to sleep while she listened.

The rangers had been forced to retreat soon after the invasion started. Most of the allied worlds like Eltar and Aquitar had already fallen. Earth was completely alone. Zordon was being held captive. The Red Ranger had ran off on a desperate attempt to save his sister, who just happened to be the one who planned this whole attack to begin with. The worst part was that the rangers weren't sure that they could win. The odds were stacked against them.

It was then that Kimberly began to think that she might never see Jason again. He could already be dead, for all she knew, and she could soon be joining him. Part of her had hoped that somehow he might have found his way to this group, that he would be waiting for her to arrive, but he was no where to be found. Her heart ached to see him again. She couldn't give up just yet, not when there was still so much for them to do. They would get married, have children, and live to a ripe old age together. Kimberly had always loved him, since they were kids, they couldn't end this way.

They wouldn't end this way, not if she had anything to do with it.

The two teen girls were shocked when Kimberly sat up and turned to face them. "You can't just give up like that. There's a lot of people counted on you." She looked all five of them in the eyes. "I know it seems hopeless now, but the rangers have always come through before." There were a few audible gasps as the team mates exchanged glances. "Zordon wouldn't want you to give up." Kimberly's voice cracked at the mention of her former mentor, she hoped he was alright.

Her audience was too shocked to speak. Eventually, after a few moments deliberation, T.J. broke the silence.

"Who are you? How do you know about Zordon?" The Blue Ranger spoke carefully and Kimberly thought carefully about her response, seeing the suspicious looks thrown her way.

"My name is Kimberly Hart...I used to be a Power Ranger." She had to stifle a giggle when the Ranger's jaws practically hit the floor at her pronouncement.

"Actually, I was one of the first rangers." She continued. "I was the Pink Ranger, before Katherine." At this, she looked pointedly at Cassie, the current Pink Ranger. Cassie's eyes widened with surprise. "So, I know what I'm saying when I tell you that I understand what you're going through. And I know that none of you are going to give up." She smirked, "we rangers don't give up no matter what."

* * *

"You know, I never would have guessed that you were a power ranger when I first met you." Carlos smirked.

"Gee, thanks." Kimberly laughed. "But I guess that kinda had to do with the fact that I was pinned under a ton of rubble huh?" A few hours had passed since she had revealed to the group that she had once been one of them. Since then, she had been answering their many questions about her past. The teens seemed to be fascinated by the stories of their predecessors. Kimberly figured that it probably had something to do with the fact that they were so isolated from the rest of the ranger family, they hadn't had the opportunity to get to know the people that had come before them. As far as Kim could tell, when Tommy and the others transferred their powers to the new group they were never heard from again.

The former ranger didn't like that at all. Even though the team had Demetria, they could have used some guidance from the old rangers. It was pretty callous of Tommy and the others to just ignore the newbies like that. In her day (just thinking that made Kimberly feel old), all rangers stayed in contact, no matter if they were present or former members of the team. She felt bad for the rangers that she was sitting with, they had had to go through such hardship all alone.

"Nah, Carlos just isn't observant enough to know when a ranger's fallen into his lap." Zhane put in, earning a glare from the Black Ranger. The Yellow Ranger shook her head and rolled her eyes before turning back to Kim.

"Anyway, you said that you were captured by Divatox, right? What happened?"

"Well, Jason and I were held hostage so that..."

"Wait! Jason's the first Red Ranger, right?" Cassie interrupted. Kimberly nodded, her face becoming wistful as she thought about him.

"Yeah, he was also the Gold Ranger for a while. But he was the first leader of the Power Rangers...and Tommy's best friend." Her voice became quiet and solemn. The cheer that had previously enveloped the group was gone, the others knowing that this was very hard for their friend to speak of. "Or at least he was, but that was pretty much my fault." Kimberly continued. "Like I said before, Tommy and I dated for a long time. But I had been in love with Jason practically my whole life. Tommy had only recently found out that Jase and I had gotten together while I was away training. He didn't take it well." She snorted quietly at the understatement.

"It was really hard for him to see us together, let alone save us. But he did, just like always. Divatox turned us evil, but Tommy was able to reach us. We haven't heard from him since. It's been really hard on Jason...he's lost his brother." She looked down at her lap where she was wringing her hands nervously. "And Jason's out there somewhere right now and the last time I saw him he was angry at me. I've got to find him."

An awkward silence filled the space around the small campfire. The teens looked at one another silently, not knowing what to say. Kimberly couldn't look at them, too ashamed at her admittance. It was eventually Cassie that broke the silence, an idea popping in her head.

"Kim, how many former rangers are living in Angel Grove right now?" She leaned forward, her hands clasped together, and looked Kimberly in the eye.

Her question startled her predecessor momentarily, surprised at the change of topic. She had to think carefully for a few moments before she could answer.

"Well, there's me and Jason, but I don't know of anyone else. Let's see...Zack and Trini are still in Europe, as far as I know. Billy's not even on the planet anymore, he's with the Auquitan Rangers now. Kat's in London at ballet school. Aisha's still in Africa and I think Rocky's there visiting her right now. Tanya and Adam are in L.A. and I don't know where Tommy is. I've only met Justin once, so I don't know where he could be at all." She paused. "I guess that's everybody. Why do you ask?"

Cassie held Kimberly's curious gaze for a brief moment before she sighed.

"I think I may have run into him this afternoon..."

* * *

This had to be the most quiet morning that downtown Angel Grove had ever seen. It was an eerie silence that spoke to the horrors that the city had witnessed only hours ago. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for the next attack to come.

Jason's group was almost completely silent. They had all awoken, but none had the courage or strength to speak. There weren't that many of them, no more than thirty, and they were all exhausted and shaken. Jason had joined the group late the previous evening. He had been searching for Kimberly for hours, with no success. All of the debris had made traveling difficult and time consuming; the former Red Ranger doubted that he had been able to cover more than 4 blocks before he was forced to rest for the night.

Thankfully he had run into a small group of civilians that had survived the attack who offered him a place to sleep. He hadn't relished the idea of sleeping out in the open by himself with absolutely no protection. Now that it was light out, he could continue looking for Kimberly.

As he stood to leave, a flash of light on the roof of a nearby building caught his attention. The others around him noticed it as well and they all stood to face it, murmuring quietly.

"What was that?"

"Is it another attack?"

"Maybe it's the Power Rangers!"

"Have they come to save us??"

"I dunno, let's go see!"

The crowd began to make its way toward the building. Some of the people were excited, others apprehensive. Jason knew that it wasn't the rangers. The color of the flash wasn't right and the rangers wouldn't make a show of teleporting to a roof like that. This was bad, very bad. But Jason had no choice but to follow the crowd and try to figure out what was going on.

It wasn't just his group that had been drawn to the flash of light, many others were gathering at the base of the building. Jason hadn't realized that there were that many survivors in the area. Obviously some groups had found much better hiding places than his had.

A sinking feeling started in the base of his stomach as he looked to the top of the building, seeing two figures. One was Astronoma, the other her second in command. Something big was about to happen, he knew.

And it was not going to end well...

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